EPISODE DESCRIPTION Financing expert Dan Lewis from Huntington Bank delivers a data‑driven breakdown of how lenders evaluate dental startups and acquisitions—and the key financial indicators dentists must understand before choosing a path. Dan explains why banks view dental borrowers differently from other industries, what factors strengthen or weaken a loan application, and how new graduates, [...]
EPISODE DESCRIPTION Technology expert Dan De‑Steno dives into the operational and cybersecurity challenges dentists face when starting or acquiring a practice. With decades of experience supporting dental IT infrastructure, Dan outlines the hidden costs, risks, and long‑term implications of both paths—especially when it comes to outdated hardware, inconsistent data systems, network vulnerabilities, and HIPAA compliance [...]
EPISODE DESCRIPTION Dr. Ben Liu shares one of the most dynamic ownership journeys featured in this series—relocating to a new state, rapidly expanding across multiple locations, acquiring underperforming practices, and launching startups inside existing orthodontic spaces. His path includes buying distressed practices, relocating them, scaling from 2 ops to 5+, and using systems to turn [...]
EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Rafael A. Martinez brings an operations and business‑systems perspective to the acquisition vs. startup conversation. Drawing on his extensive experience supporting dental practices, Rafael explains the operational blind spots that cause practices to underperform—and how buyers and new owners can use systems, leadership, and metrics to create immediate improvements. He [...]
EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Dr. Izzat Sebeih shares the story behind launching his large, 5,000 sq. ft. dental startup—built from scratch after a failed partnership opportunity pushed him to create his own path. Dr. Sebeih explains how he evaluated acquisition opportunities, why the numbers didn’t make sense for the practices he considered, and how [...]
EPISODE DESCRIPTION Dr. George Kreisheh shares his compelling journey from graduating dental school to opening a startup practice just one year later—followed by navigating COVID-19 within his first year of ownership. He explains why early acquisition opportunities felt overpriced, how he leveraged lender relationships, and why having a dual-income household allowed him to pursue startup [...]
EPISODE DESCRIPTION Marketing expert Michael Anderson of Wonderist Agency breaks down the critical role that marketing plays in the success of dental startups and acquisitions. With over a decade helping more than 800 practices grow, Michael explains why startups face immense pressure to generate new patients quickly, how to budget realistically for launch-stage marketing, and [...]
EPISODE DESCRIPTION Dr. Williams, a seasoned clinician with decades of academic and private practice experience, provides a historical and practical perspective on dental practice ownership. From building a multi-operatory faculty practice within a HUD building to growing alongside Baltimore’s Inner Harbor redevelopment, he explains how dentistry—and the process of opening or acquiring a practice—has evolved [...]
EPISODE DESCRIPTION Prosthodontist Dr. Harshit Aggarwal shares a data-driven, highly intentional journey into practice ownership—from relocating to the DC market, to evaluating cities nationwide, to purchasing a practice and later relocating it for growth. Dr. Aggarwal explains why he considered both startup and acquisition options, how his risk tolerance shaped his choice, and why cash [...]
EPISODE DESCRIPTION Dr. Rae Orraca-Tetten shares her journey from considering an acquisition to ultimately launching a successful dental startup that grew from 3 to 10 operatories. She explains why a startup was more cost‑effective for her personality, clinical style, and long-term goals—despite early recommendations to purchase the practice she worked in. Dr. Orraca-Tetten breaks down [...]
