011: Crash Landing to Breakthrough: A Dentist’s Journey from 10 Practices to True Freedom | Dr Jeff Grove

In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental, I sit down with Dr. Jeff Grove—dentist, entrepreneur, and now leadership coach—whose story is as real as it gets. From growing up in dentistry alongside his father, to expanding into 10 practices, to ultimately walking away from the chaos to create a new life in Colorado, Jeff shares the highs, the burnout, and the wake-up calls that reshaped his definition of success.We dive deep into the “striver mentality” that so many dentists carry, and how it can both fuel achievement and quietly sabotage relationships, health, and happiness. Jeff opens up about partnering with his father, buying him out, scaling big, and then hitting critical life moments—including a stroke and his son’s battle with addiction—that shifted everything.Today, Jeff runs Ascension Coaching, helping new dentists navigate their careers with more self-awareness, balance, and clarity than he ever had in his early years. His honesty is refreshing, his story is inspiring, and this conversation is exactly what The Real Talk of Dental is all about.If you’ve ever chased “more” only to wonder why it doesn’t feel fulfilling, or you’ve questioned whether dentistry’s picture-perfect dream matches reality, you need this episode.You’ll learn:Why the striver mentality can accelerate success—and accelerate burnoutThe hidden costs of growing bigger too fastWhat Jeff’s stroke taught him about health, family, and prioritiesHow addiction touched his family, and how they navigated it with courage and compassionWhy self-awareness is dentistry’s most overlooked leadership toolHow younger dentists can reconcile expectations with the current reality of the professionWhy coaching and mentorship matter more than ever in modern dentistry🔗 Join the community and submit your anonymous questions: https://www.therealtalkofdental.com 🔗 Learn more about The Empowered LeadHERship Program for Women in Dental: https://leadhershipexperience.com/#DentalPodcast #DentalLeadership #DentalCoaching #DentalSuccess #BurnoutInDentistry #DentalCulture #DentalPracticeOwnership #DentalSelfAwareness #DentistLife #RealTalkDentistry #DentalMentorship #DentalWellness #DentalJourneyWe talk about: 00:00 Intro 02:00 Pearl Jam, music, and why it still matters 08:00 From working with dad to building 10 practices 10:00 The striver mentality—fuel and fallout 13:00 Self-awareness, Enneagram, and being a “three” 17:00 Life lessons from parenting, family, and slowing down 20:00 The stroke that changed everything 33:00 Navigating addiction as a family and supporting recovery 37:00 Starting Ascension Coaching and helping new dentists 40:00 Why expectations vs. reality are colliding in dentistry 45:00 Mentorship gaps and why leadership training is essential 47:00 Jeff’s biggest takeaways for dentists at any stageConnect with Dr. Jeff GroveWebsite: https://ascensiondentalcoach.com/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-grove-09297161Connect with me LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/ https://courageandjoyatwork.com/ https://leadhershipexperience.com/ Phone: 616-682-6222