The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
Dental Consulting
Become More Profitable, Less Stressed, and More Fulfilled in Your Dental Career
- 40 minutes 26 seconds2485: Why Some Practices Sell for More Than Others
On today's episode, we're featuring a recent Dental Success Network webinar where Dr. Mark Costes is joined by Dr. Bill Keith and Dr. Ben Kacos to break down what it really takes to prepare your practice for a successful transition. They dive into the key drivers of valuation—including EBITDA, systems, and scalability—while highlighting common pitfalls like key man risk and over-reliance on a single provider. The conversation also explores what buyers are truly looking for in today's consolidation-heavy market, how to structure your practice for long-term growth, and why timing your transition correctly can significantly impact your outcome. Whether you're years away from selling or actively exploring options, this episode delivers practical insights to help you build a more valuable, resilient practice.
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10 April 2026, 1:30 pm - 49 minutes 55 seconds2484: The Future of DSOs and What It Means for You
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Kyle Francis of Professional Transition Strategies to unpack the current state of the DSO and private equity marketplace. They dive into why valuations for single practices remain strong despite industry noise, how interest rates are impacting large group recapitalizations, and what's really happening behind the scenes with private equity-backed DSOs. Kyle shares insights on deal structure, liquidity challenges, and why smaller practices continue to be highly attractive acquisition targets. The conversation also explores the pros and cons of selling to a DSO versus a doctor-to-doctor transition, including autonomy, risk, and long-term upside. This episode is a must-listen for any dentist considering a transition or trying to understand where the market is headed next.
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9 April 2026, 1:30 pm - 1 hour 1 minute2483: What Every Dentist Needs to Know Before Choosing an S Corp
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Brent Saunier and Chris Sands from Pro-Fi 20/20 for a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood topics in dentistry—entity structure and tax strategy. In this conversation, they break down the critical differences between LLCs, S Corps, and partnerships, and explain why choosing the wrong structure too early can trap losses, limit deductions, and cost new practice owners thousands. They share real-world examples of common mistakes dentists make when starting or acquiring a practice, including relying on generic advice from the internet or misaligned guidance from advisors. The discussion also covers stock basis, tax timing strategies, and how to think proactively about growth, partnerships, and long-term planning from day one. This episode is a must-listen for any dentist looking to build a strong financial foundation and avoid costly early missteps.
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8 April 2026, 1:30 pm - 39 minutes 54 seconds2482: Scaling Without Sacrifice in a $3 Million Practice
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes hosts another Ask Me Anything session, answering thoughtful and high-level questions from the dental community around growth, leadership, and finding balance. He dives into how to scale a practice to $3M and beyond without sacrificing culture, patient experience, or personal time, while also explaining how to recognize the difference between a healthy growth phase and a broken model. Mark also tackles deeper questions around defining "enough," the tradeoffs of success, and how to transition out of the constant hustle phase by building the right infrastructure and team. Plus, he shares practical insights on patient perception—from attire to trust-building—and how small details can influence case acceptance. This episode is packed with both tactical advice and big-picture perspective for dentists at every stage of their journey.
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7 April 2026, 1:30 pm - 1 hour 58 seconds2481: From a Struggling Associate to a $5 Million Practice
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Dr. Lior Tamir to unpack a remarkable journey from a struggling new grad during the 2009 recession to building a thriving $5M de novo practice in one of the most competitive markets in the country. Lior shares how stepping away from clinical dentistry to build a marketing tech company shaped his approach to growth, patient experience, and data-driven decision-making.
He dives into the concept of "experiential dentistry," revealing how small but intentional touches—from office design to giving away electric toothbrushes—fueled explosive patient acquisition and loyalty. The conversation also explores his innovative hybrid PPO model with a concierge-style fee, the power of in-house specialty services, and how he scaled to over $1M per chair.
Finally, Lior introduces The Dental App, a cloud-based, all-in-one platform designed to modernize practice management, integrate real-time analytics, and leverage AI for automation and patient follow-up—offering a glimpse into the future of dental operations.
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6 April 2026, 1:45 pm - 38 minutes 34 seconds2480: From Analog to AI Inside the Modern Dental Lab
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Steven Fey, VP of Business Development at Maverick Dental Lab, to explore the rapid evolution of dental lab technology, the growing role of AI, and what it takes to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. They dive into the shift from analog to digital workflows, the realities of AI in case design, and why maintaining a human touch is still critical for quality and customer experience.
Steven shares insights on industry consolidation, sustainable growth, and how Maverick continues to thrive by focusing on relationships rather than transactions. The conversation also tackles broader industry challenges like the hygiene shortage and changing patient demand. Plus, Mark and Steven unveil an exciting opportunity for listeners—a chance to win a brand-new Corvette at the upcoming Dental Success Summit.
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3 April 2026, 1:30 pm - 33 minutes 49 seconds2479: The Real Reason Your Practice Feels Chaotic
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes and COO Ashlee Hirschfeld kick off a back-to-basics series designed for both new and seasoned dental professionals, diving into the often-overlooked foundational principles of building a successful practice. They unpack the real meaning behind mission, vision, and core values—and why skipping these "fluffy" concepts can lead to chaos, toxic culture, and lack of direction.
Mark shares hard-earned insights from years of coaching and practice ownership, explaining how culture forms (whether intentional or not), how to make it measurable, and why involving your entire team in defining core values is critical. They also explore how to implement cultural and leadership assessments without creating fear, and the tough—but necessary—reality of addressing toxic team members. This episode sets the stage for a powerful series aimed at helping practices create clarity, alignment, and sustainable growth from the inside out.
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2 April 2026, 1:30 pm - 32 minutes 39 seconds2478: Cutting Costs and Recovering Revenue With Virtual Staffing
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Timothy Boyle of Reva Global Medical to talk about how virtual staffing is helping healthcare practices reduce administrative overload, improve efficiency, and recover lost revenue. Tim shares his unique journey from professional hockey into healthcare sales, then explains how his team recruits and trains medically experienced virtual assistants to support practices with scheduling, insurance verification, patient follow-up, prior authorizations, billing, and accounts receivable.
The conversation explores how understaffed teams often create bottlenecks that hurt case acceptance, chair retention, and collections, and how virtual support can help fill those gaps at a fraction of the cost of local hiring. They also discuss HIPAA compliance, EMR training, AI's growing role in healthcare operations, and why thoughtful delegation is becoming essential for scaling modern practices.
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1 April 2026, 1:30 pm - 1 hour 28 seconds2477: Practice Valuation Crash Course
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes introduces a powerful talk from Bill Keith on one of the most important and often misunderstood topics in dentistry: practice valuation, consolidation, and ownership strategy. Bill breaks down why every dentist should understand their true net worth, how to properly value a dental practice, and why EBITDA, cash at close, rolled equity, and distributions all matter far more than flashy headline multiples.
He also explains the current state of consolidation in dentistry, what lessons can be learned from other healthcare industries, and how different partnership structures can lead to very different financial outcomes. This episode is a practical deep dive into risk, growth, diversification, and long-term wealth building for dentists who want to make smart decisions about the future of their businesses.
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31 March 2026, 1:30 pm - 37 minutes 58 seconds2476: The Future of Dental Labs Is Faster Smarter and More Human
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Joe Lynch, Head of Customer Success at Dandy, for a conversation about the future of dental labs, digital dentistry, and what it really takes to deliver better outcomes for dentists and patients. Joe shares his unique journey from Navy special operations to healthcare consulting and ultimately into the dental industry, where he now helps lead Dandy's go-to-market strategy and customer experience. Together, they unpack how robotics, AI, machine learning, and vertically integrated workflows are transforming the lab space, while also exploring the balance between cost, quality, speed, and service in a rapidly consolidating market. Joe also breaks down Dandy's turnaround times, communication model, full-service lab capabilities, and how the company is helping practices embrace digital workflows without sacrificing support or clinical results.
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30 March 2026, 4:14 pm - 42 minutes 33 seconds2475: Delegation, Redundancy, and Building a Vacation-Ready Practice
On today's episode of Ask Me Anything with Dr. Mark Costes, he dives into some of the most insightful questions submitted by listeners, tackling the challenges dental practice owners face as they scale. Mark explores the most common bottleneck he sees—lack of delegation and redundancy—and shares how even highly profitable, low-overhead practices can quickly crumble without the right systems and depth on the team. He emphasizes the value of hiring great people when you find them and offers advice for empowering your leads so the practice can thrive without your constant presence.
Mark also addresses how to handle delicate leadership moments—like when a key team member is struggling personally—while maintaining accountability and protecting the health of the organization. He breaks down a smart, step-by-step approach to dropping PPOs, urging dentists to avoid emotional decisions and instead rely on data, preparation, and strategic marketing to make the transition smooth. To close out the episode, Mark shares why he loves the start of a new year as a time for deep reflection and goal setting, using the Four Futures framework to reset priorities across mindset, health, relationships, and finances.
Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast!
EPISODE RESOURCES
27 March 2026, 1:30 pm - More Episodes? Get the App