In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune talks with Irene Janku—hygienist, educator, and practice owner in Toronto—about one of the most unconventional but thought-provoking models in dentistry: hygienist-owned practices. Together, they explore how this model works legally and financially, what it means for dentists and hygienists working side by side, and why…
In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune tackles one of the most important questions in the profession: does dentistry still make sense as a career? With record-high student debt, stagnant associate pay, and rising stress, many young dentists feel stuck in roles that limit income, autonomy, and fulfillment. Scott contrasts the challenges…
In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott sits down with Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl, to explore how AI is transforming dental practices—from radiology that detects more disease to automated charting, treatment planning, and real-time claims. These tools reduce inefficiencies, minimize errors, and build greater patient trust. They also look ahead…
In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune explains why most dental exams are inconsistent and miss valuable treatment opportunities. He introduces a structured assessment protocol for the hygiene chair that standardizes preventive, Perio, Ortho, Implant, Sleep, and Cosmetic evaluations. By following this “recipe” for thorough exams, practices can improve patient care,…
In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune tackles one of the toughest challenges in private practice ownership: building fair and effective associate agreements. Drawing from years of experience, he breaks down the 10 most important elements to include—tiered compensation, lab fee adjustments, guarantees, notice clauses, CE commitments, referral expectations, column load…
In this inspiring episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune sits down with comedian, author, and motivational speaker Zach Anner to explore how resilience, humor, and community can transform life’s toughest challenges into opportunities. Born with cerebral palsy, Zach shares his journey from winning Oprah’s reality show and creating viral YouTube content to…
In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune sits down with top motivational speaker Laura Gassner Otting to share how practice owners can reset their goals, strengthen leadership, and retain top talent. Drawing from decades of experience interviewing high-performing executives, Laura explains how to align your “three buckets” of money, freedom, and…
Scott talks with Rob Bay, co-founder of Dental Intelligence and current chairman of Alta.Ai, about how practices can save time, improve hygiene production, and reduce burnout without adding staff. They explore the systems and strategies that are reshaping clinical efficiency and giving doctors and teams more time to focus on what matters most—patients.
This week on The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune sits down with conflict resolution expert Gabe Karp—TEDx speaker, author of Don’t Get Mad at Penguins, and former trial lawyer—for a powerful conversation about confronting conflict in dental practices. Together, they explore why ignoring issues fuels burnout, how to reframe tough conversations, and the simple weekly…
This week on The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune sits down with Erin Stafford—author of The Type A Trap, social psychologist, and former head of marketing for a $11B healthcare company—for a candid conversation about high achievement, burnout, and how to reclaim your life without sacrificing success. Erin shares her own journey from burnout to…