Comfort Dental Podcast

In 1991, Dr. Mike Bloss saw a small ad in the Colorado Dental Association journal. A doctor named Rick Kushner was opening a new practice and talking about something called “lean and mean.” Dr. Bloss was already 10 years into his career, working as an associate in a high-end crown and bridge practice in Colorado Springs with 70 percent overhead. He drove up, listened to the pitch, met with a few other doctors, and signed on. He and Dr. Neil Norton opened the third-ever Comfort Dental practice. More than 30 years later, with over 150 locations and 500 doctors in the system, he sits down with Shawn Zajas to tell the story.This conversation covers the early days of Comfort Dental, the moment the practices decided to share a name and market together, the lawyer who told them they were technically a franchise, and the partnership dynamics that made the model work when most dentists were going it alone.Dr. Bloss talks openly about the parts of dentistry that wear a doctor down. The physical demands. The emotional load of treating anxious patients. The financial pressure that builds when overhead climbs and patient flow slips. He explains why he believes the people side of dentistry is harder than the clinical side, and why financial stress can lead to poor clinical decisions. He shares his concern about new graduates carrying $500,000 to $800,000 in student debt and the pressure that puts on the profession.He walks through the NERD system, four core functions Comfort Dental built into every practice. He explains why Comfort Dental doctors present their own treatment plans, why partnership beats solo ownership in his experience, and why a Comfort Dental practice holds its value at sale in a way a solo practice often can’t.For patients listening, the through-line is straightforward. Lower overhead means a doctor has room to meet patients where they are. Long hours and Saturday access mean care is available when it’s needed. High patient volume means doctors get more reps, which builds clinical skill. And as Dr. Bloss puts it at the end of the episode, every patient is the right kind of patient.For dentists evaluating their next move, this is a candid look at the model from someone who watched it start.Chapters:00:00 Meet Dr. Mike Bloss, Comfort Dental OG00:30 The 1991 ad in the CDA journal that started it all02:05 Dr. Kushner the unicorn: clinical skill and entrepreneurship04:30 Why dentistry’s hardest part is the people side06:35 30+ years in practice and how Bloss avoided burnout06:55 The NERD system explained08:23 The “with or without you” energy of Comfort Dental doctors09:30 Why solo practice is so hard to sustain13:00 Becoming a franchise (and why it wasn’t planned)17:50 The $500K to $800K dental school debt crisis21:00 The $500 vs $200 copay story22:42 How lower overhead enables clinical flexibility25:30 Addressing the “mill” perception head-on28:50 The ideal Comfort Dental doctor archetype33:50 Why young dentists hesitate to bet on themselves40:00 What dentistry is really like inside the model44:30 The trial period and how to evaluate joining47:30 Why retirement is harder for solo practitioners48:30 How to contact Dr. Bloss directly50:30 Every patient is the right kind of patientReach Dr. Bloss: [email protected] | 303-862-2909