Navigating Leadership & Growth in Dentistry

Most dentists are never taught how to lead a business, only how to practice one. So what does it actually take to build a practice that grows without burning you out? In this episode of the Practice Pulse Podcast, Dr. Aditi Aggrawal sits down with Dr. Sara Mahmood, who opened her first practice at 27 and now leads a six-location dental group. Sara breaks down the practical side of practice ownership, how the right teams, systems, and boundaries make clinical days easier, how she reframes burnout and fear when the pressure hits, and what integrity does for hiring and patient trust. She also gives straight advice for new grads weighing associateship versus ownership, and makes the case for why there has never been a better time for women to lead in dentistry. If you own, manage, or plan to build a dental practice, this conversation is a practical reset on leadership, growth, and running a business you actually enjoy. Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome and intro 00:31 – Opening a practice at 27 02:59 – Taking calculated risks daily 04:00 – The only thing stopping you 05:18 – Helping dentists find their voice 08:13 – Beating imposter syndrome 09:26 – Loving dentistry without burnout 14:48 – Building dentistry with integrity 18:51 – Why belief drives leadership 21:59 – Time for women to lead 25:03 – Finding your support system 26:17 – A career-defining setback 29:50 – Associate vs. ownership advice 33:34 – How AI changed dentistry 35:01 – Where to find Sara About the Speaker Dr. Sara Mahmood is the founder and CEO of Brush365, a six-location dental group in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, built on the promise of “Dentistry with Integrity.” Sara is a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, a SureSmile Global Clinical Partner, and a Key Opinion Leader for Philips Oral Healthcare, where she sits on the North American Advisory Board and the Continuing Education Planning Committee. She is also a current member of the Glidewell Guiding Leaders Program. She speaks all over the world on leadership, digital dentistry, AI, and clinical innovation, including the main stage at DS World in both Las Vegas and São Paulo. She was a Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree at 32, Incisal Edge 40 Under 40 at 33, and this year she is a Dallas Business Journal Women in Business honoree. You can reach out to Sara Mahmood through: LinkedIn 👉 linkedin.com/in/sarathedentist/ Instagram 👉https://www.instagram.com/sarathedentist___?igsh=OWk1dnUxNGt4dGp6 Website 👉 sarahthedentist.com If you found this podcast helpful: 👍 Like the video 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway 🔔 Subscribe to Practice Pulse Podcast for more conversations around modern dentistry and practice growth