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Show Notes

What does it really take to turn a neighborhood dental practice into a must-visit brand no matter the competition next door?

In this episode, Dr. Chaz Vittitow shares the real story of launching and growing The Local Dentist in a market packed with competitors all while balancing family life with four kids and navigating today’s unique challenges for dentists. Chaz explains the origin of his practice’s name and how it shaped everything from branding to partnering with local businesses. He also digs into the seldom-discussed realities: intense staffing pressures, skyrocketing expenses, and the myth that owning a practice guarantees financial success.

Chaz reveals how he grew by aggressively marketing, earning patient referrals, and, most notably, breaking free from PPO insurance networks, once facing $500–$600K annual write-offs on $1.1M collected. He delivers a practical guide for dropping insurance: scripting patient conversations, offering membership alternatives, and controlling the story to retain quality care (and your best patients). Through powerful communication tweaks and lessons learned on team-building, leadership, and profitability, Chaz equips us with a blueprint to build not just a profitable practice, but a truly resilient one.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How to craft a dental brand that resonates in your community and stands out
• The key differences (and new complexities) of dental ownership today versus prior generations
• Creative growth strategies for practices in saturated markets, from ground-level marketing to referral systems
• Why and how to drop insurance networks without losing your patient base (or your mind)
• The real financial impact of insurance write-offs (and how to regain control)
• Step-by-step tactics for transitioning patients off PPO plans, minimizing attrition and complaints
• Transformative language and communication shifts that boost case acceptance and patient loyalty
• Operational insights: hiring, team training, profitability strategies, and smart tech adoption

Tune in to learn how Dr. Chaz builds an unstoppable brand that resonates with his local community!

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Sponsors:‍

Net32: Founded by a dentist, for dentists. Net32 is the leading online marketplace for dental supplies, helping dental and medical professionals save on high-quality products for over 25 years. Start saving today at: https://www.net32.com/dentalmarketer

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Oryx: All-In-One Cloud-Based Dental Software Created by Dentists for Dentists. Patient engagement, clinical, and practice management software that helps your dental practice grow without compromise. Click or copy and paste the link here for a special offer! https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/oryx/

Guest: Dr. Chaz Vittitow

Practice Name: The Local Dentist

Check out Chaz’s Media:

Practice: https://localdentistbellingham.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/localdentist_bham/

The Dental Jumpstart YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJvqs2_HMAkGq2ki__Gv-jQ

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Host: Michael Arias

Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍

Join this podcast’s Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society

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Love the Podcast? Follow on Your Favorite App! https://lnkfi.re/TDMPod

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