Dr. Larry Benz on Why Caring Without Connection Is What Burns Dentists Out

What if empathy, connection, and communication were treated as clinical skills—not soft extras? Check out Dr Larry Benz’ book at https://www.amazon.com/Called-Care-Professionals-Humanizing-Experience/dp/1544552998/ In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker speaks with Dr. Larry Benz, CEO of Dental Care Alliance and author of Called to Care for Dentistry, about the relationship between human connection, patient outcomes, provider wellbeing, and business performance. Dr. Benz brings a unique perspective shaped by more than 30 years in multi-site healthcare. A physical therapist by training, he built and scaled Confluent Health into an 800-plus clinic network before joining Dental Care Alliance’s board in 2024 and becoming CEO within a year. Larry explains the research behind Called to Care, including how provider empathy and relational connection can affect clinical outcomes, case acceptance, retention, referrals, and workplace culture. He also introduces the idea of “calcification”—the gradual emotional hardening that can cause providers to see a patient as a procedure rather than a person—and why connection is a critical antidote to burnout. The conversation also explores dental anxiety, the power of language in the operatory, and why the profession must stop allowing insurance limitations to define treatment conversations. Larry shares how DCA paired operational and cultural transformation with its recent balance-sheet restructuring, and why he believes the most important capital investment a DSO can make is in its people. Episode chapters 00:00 From physical therapy to leading Dental Care Alliance 05:41 What surprised Dr. Benz about dentistry 08:02 The research behind Called to Care 17:25 Calcification, burnout, and the importance of connection 25:21 How DSOs can protect patient-centered care 32:49 Dental anxiety, avoidance, and underdiagnosis 36:44 Why insurance should not drive the treatment conversation 38:42 Rebuilding DCA’s culture alongside its balance sheet 43:35 Why human capital is the first layer of capital allocation 50:06 The intangible measure of leadership success Connect with the team: 👉 Mike Huffaker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huffaker/ 👉 Planet DDS: https://planetdds.com/ 👉 Dr Larry Benz on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lbenz/ 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.