The Dental Economist Show

How do you scale a dental organisation without losing the culture, trust, and people-first approach that made it successful in the first place? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, recorded live at Dental Forum in Fort Worth, host Mike Huffaker speaks with David Meece, founder and Executive Chairman of Pearl Street Dental Partners, and Ryan Torresan, Chief Operations and Marketing Officer at Mosaic Dental Collective, about leadership, influence, culture, and scaling change across growing DSOs. David explains why Pearl Street has focused on managing through influence rather than directives, creating an environment where doctors voluntarily adopt new technology and initiatives because they understand the value behind them. He also shares why protecting culture starts long before an acquisition is completed, with careful partner selection and a clear understanding of shared values. Ryan discusses Mosaic Dental Collective’s approach to change management as the organisation prepares to scale its technology and operations across more than 50 practices. He explains why leaders should “scale what works” rather than trying to scale individual opinions, using pilot programmes, operational standards, transparency, and data to build genuine buy-in. The conversation also explores why culture cannot simply be dictated or installed, how data and trusted relationships make technology adoption easier, and why strong implementation matters just as much as choosing the right platform. David and Ryan also reflect on the next stage of growth for their organisations, building leadership teams around complementary strengths, and keeping patient care and people at the centre of growth. Finally, they share how they continue to develop as leaders through learning, relationships, health, faith, and staying connected to the people around them. Connect with the guests: 👉 David Meece on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-meece-b9201773/ 👉 Ryan Torresan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryantorresan/ Connect with the team: 👉 Mike Huffaker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huffaker/ 👉 Planet DDS: https://planetdds.com/ You can also listen to our podcast here: 👉 Apple Podcast: https://shorturl.at/ikORx 👉 Spotify: https://shorturl.at/SMInC Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show? If you’re a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next generation of dental technology, or helping redefine patient care, The Dental Economist Show is where the industry’s leading voices come together to discuss what’s next.

What does it take to build meaningful influence, lead high-performing teams, and create a career that does not come at the expense of fulfillment? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker speaks with Julieanne O’Connor and Michael Keeter, co-founders of Influential Dental and the team behind Influence Elevée magazine, about mindset, leadership, culture, and the human side of success in dentistry. Julieanne and Michael share the origin story behind their partnership and the mission that guides their work: elevating the people who elevate others. They discuss the common traits they see in high-achieving dental leaders, including authenticity, strong systems, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace change rather than fear it. The conversation explores how leaders can sustain high performance without burning out, why achievement alone rarely creates lasting fulfillment, and the importance of focusing on the present instead of constantly chasing the next milestone. Julieanne also shares her approach to public speaking, while Michael explains why culture must be defined, lived, and connected to a purpose larger than numbers. They also discuss the launch of Influence Elevée magazine, their commitment to spotlighting the people behind dentistry, and their new initiative, Influence for Kids, which supports foster youth through awareness, experiences, and opportunity. Episode chapters 00:00 Introducing Influential Dental and Influence Elevée 04:54 The origin story behind Julieanne and Michael’s partnership 07:15 Elevating others and uncaging potential 08:16 The common traits of high-achieving dental leaders 14:22 Embracing change, AI, and sustainable high performance 21:01 Why the present moment matters more than the next achievement 27:44 Public speaking without the pressure to perform 31:43 Building a culture that people want to be part of 43:19 Why they launched a lifestyle and mindset magazine for dentistry 54:19 Influence for Kids and creating opportunity for foster youth Connect with the team: 👉 Mike Huffaker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huffaker/ 👉 Planet DDS: https://planetdds.com/ 👉 Influential Dental: https://influentialdental.com/ 👉Julieanna O’Connor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkeeter66/ 👉Michael Keeter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkeeter66/ You can also listen to our podcast here: 👉 Apple Podcast: https://shorturl.at/ikORx 👉 Spotify: https://shorturl.at/SMInC Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show? If you’re a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next generation of dental technology, or helping redefine patient care, The Dental Economist Show is where the industry’s leading voices come together to discuss what’s next.

Can your practice confidently explain where patient data goes after it is collected? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker speaks with Thomas Terronez, CEO of Medix Dental, about the overlooked data supply chain behind modern dental technology. Every new tool, from patient engagement and imaging platforms to payment systems, call recording, analytics, and AI, can introduce new pathways for protected health information. Thomas explains why cybersecurity is no longer just about securing the server inside a practice; it is about understanding every vendor, integration, backup, development environment, and third party that may touch patient data. The conversation explores the security benefits of cloud-based practice management platforms, the risks associated with legacy on-premise systems, and why staff training remains one of the most important safeguards against ransomware. Thomas also shares why a signed BAA is not enough, what DSOs should ask vendors before connecting new technology, and how practices can begin building a clearer, more accountable view of their data ecosystem. Episode chapters 00:00 The hidden data supply chain in dentistry 02:00 From computer enthusiast to dental IT leader 04:52 Why dentistry has been slow to embrace the cloud 07:33 The risks of on-premise servers and ransomware 10:29 How many vendors are touching your patient data? 12:20 Why a signed BAA is not enough 15:03 The data-governance gap in dental organizations 18:32 AI, patient data, and the startup landscape 22:28 What responsible technology adoption looks like 28:49 The questions every DSO should ask a new vendor Connect with the team: 👉 Mike Huffaker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huffaker/ 👉 Planet DDS: https://planetdds.com/ 👉 Thomas Terronez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-terronez-9371104/ You can also listen to our podcast here: 👉 Apple Podcast: https://shorturl.at/ikORx 👉 Spotify: https://shorturl.at/SMInC Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show? If you’re a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next generation of dental technology, or helping redefine patient care, The Dental Economist Show is where the industry’s leading voices come together to discuss what’s next.

Why DSO Operators Are Being Blamed for a Problem They Didn't Create Why has the DSO deal market stalled even as demand for dental care remains strong? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker speaks with Kyle Welch, Associate Professor of Accountancy at the George Washington University School of Business, about the capital-market forces shaping private equity, DSO valuations, and the path to liquidity for dental entrepreneurs. Kyle explains his central thesis: the current slowdown is not simply an operator-performance issue or a reflection of what is happening in the dental chair. It begins higher up the chain with how private equity is valued, how institutional investors allocate capital, and how rising rates have changed the economics behind acquisitions and exits. Drawing on his experience at the Stanford University endowment and his research into private equity reporting, Kyle explores why private-market valuations can appear smoother than public markets, why secondary-market discounts matter, and why the capital that once fueled DSO consolidation has become more constrained. The conversation also examines what comes next. Kyle and Mike discuss the pressure created by extended hold periods, the importance of retaining doctor partners, refinancing and debt restructuring, and why combining platforms and pursuing public-market liquidity may offer a more durable path forward for some dental organizations. Episode chapters 00:00 The capital-markets problem behind the DSO slowdown 02:09 Kyle’s path from institutional investing to academia 03:32 Why private equity’s challenges matter to dentistry 06:49 The accounting “smoothing” effect in private equity 12:36 Secondary markets and the gap between reported and market value 15:13 Why this is a private-equity issue—not just a dental issue 20:00 Capital constraints, dry powder, and the liquidity freeze 26:50 The two priorities for DSOs: debt coverage and doctor retention 33:19 Restructuring debt and working with lenders 39:56 A potential path forward: consolidation and public-market exits Connect with the team: 👉 Mike Huffaker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huffaker/ 👉 Planet DDS: https://planetdds.com/ 👉 Kyle Welch on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ktwelch/ You can also listen to our podcast here: 👉 Apple Podcast: https://shorturl.at/ikORx 👉 Spotify: https://shorturl.at/SMInC Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show? If you’re a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next generation of dental technology, or helping redefine patient care, The Dental Economist Show is where the industry’s leading voices come together to discuss what’s next.

What does it take to help clinicians deliver more consistent care, build confidence in the chair, and grow into effective leaders? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker speaks with Dr. Shilpi Priyadarshini, Chief Dental Officer at the Dentist Entrepreneur Organization (DEO), about the clinical systems, mentorship, and communication practices that help dental organizations improve care at scale. Dr. Shilpi reflects on her journey from practicing dentist to regional leader at Jefferson Dental and now clinical coach at DEO. She explains why dentistry does not have a standard-of-care problem as much as it has a systems problem—and why clear processes, mentorship, and regular clinical audits can help clinicians make better decisions for patients. The conversation explores how radiographic AI can support more consistent diagnosis and patient communication, the importance of separating treatment planning from insurance benefits, and the role empathy plays in case acceptance. Dr. Shilpi also shares her “LIGER” framework for clinicians, practical approaches to coaching providers based on their strengths, and how better systems can reduce decision-making fatigue and burnout. Episode chapters 00:00 From the chair to clinical leadership 08:33 Why dentistry has a systems problem 12:12 Repetitions, mentorship, and building clinical confidence 14:15 How radiographic AI improves patient communication 18:05 Creating a better patient experience from the first conversation 21:26 Treatment planning beyond insurance benefits 26:30 Coaching dentists and building customized mentorship pathways 33:07 The clinical systems leaders often miss 41:03 Decision-making fatigue, burnout, and operational clarity 43:59 AI as a tool—not a magic solution Connect with the team: 👉 Mike Huffaker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huffaker/ 👉 Planet DDS: https://planetdds.com/ 👉 Dr. Shilpi Priyadarshini on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shilpi-priyadarshini-8137831a8/ 👉 DEO: The Dentist Entrepreneur Organization: http://www.deodentalgroup.com You can also listen to our podcast here: 👉 Apple Podcast: https://shorturl.at/ikORx 👉 Spotify: https://shorturl.at/SMInC Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show? If you’re a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next generation of dental technology, or helping redefine patient care, The Dental Economist Show is where the industry’s leading voices come together to discuss what’s next.