The Extraction

In this episode, Conner Ludlow, CEO of Annie AI Voice, breaks down how dental practices can actually use AI to drive real results. Not hype. Not theory. Real workflows that capture missed opportunities and turn them into revenue.Conner shares his journey from software engineer to dental operator, including early lessons from running a call center and why scheduled appointments without outcomes fail. He explains why AI should be treated as a tool, not a silver bullet, and where it delivers the most impact today. Think after hours call handling, website chat conversions, and automated follow ups.The conversation also explores how TeamCare and Annie work together. TeamCare identifies patient needs from practice data. Annie executes outreach through calls, texts, and chat. The result is a system that replaces missed calls, reduces front desk burden, and improves patient experience.If you want practical ways to increase bookings and stop losing patients, this episode is for you.Hello Annie https://helloannie.comTeamCare ⁠www.teamcaredental.com

In this Founder Therapy episode, hosts Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler break down what is happening inside today’s fastest growing dental practices.Colin shares insights from his recent roadshow visiting top TeamCare clients across the country. From an 11 operatory practice in Dallas to enterprise partners, he explains how high performing teams use structured workflows, real time feedback, and analytics to improve outcomes. The conversation also explores a major industry move. ChrisAd is launching a 24 operatory Anytime Dental practice to test performance systems, incentives, and patient experience in real time.Kyle and Colin discuss how AI is accelerating product development, reducing friction in patient workflows, and reshaping team roles. They also unpack the challenge of adoption and why time to value is the next frontier for dental SaaS.If you want to understand what is actually working in dental practices today, this episode delivers practical insight you can apply immediately.www.teamcaredental.com

Dr. Paul Etchison, founder of Dental Practice Heroes, joins the show to break down how to build a dental practice that runs without the owner. He shares how he reduced his clinical time to just a few days a month while maintaining growth, strong culture, and consistent results.Paul walks through his leadership-first approach to scaling, including his seven-phase framework for systems, communication, and team accountability. He explains why most practices struggle with turnover and how simple shifts like consistent one-on-ones, team connection, and better communication can transform retention. He also introduces the CVI method, a practical script for handling tough conversations with team members.You will hear real examples from a $6M practice with 35 employees, plus tactical scheduling strategies that help maintain production while cutting clinical days. This episode is a playbook for owners who want more freedom without sacrificing performance.www.dentalpracticeheroes.comhttps://www.amazon.com/Books-Dr-Paul-Etchison/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ADr.%2BPaul%2BEtchisonwww.teamcaredental.com

In this episode, Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler sit down with Laura Johnston, founder and CEO of MyDentalSOP, to break down how dental practices can scale with better systems, smarter workflows, and practical use of AI.Laura shares how most practices struggle with consistency, not effort. She explains why SOPs fail, how tribal knowledge gets lost with turnover, and what it takes to build systems that actually stick. The conversation dives into real-world examples of profit leaks, training gaps, and how poor documentation leads to risk and inefficiency.They also explore how AI fits into a modern dental office. From voice dictation to smarter prompting, Laura outlines simple ways to get started today. She emphasizes that AI is only as good as the knowledge behind it and cannot replace human connection in dentistry.If you want better accountability, stronger teams, and more predictable performance, this episode delivers clear, actionable insights.Link to Laura's Free Resource - Essential AI Prompts for Office Managers! https://docs.google.com/document/d/18gFiqBB58jBxeKgSJKt2ALon_2-mh51y_SZ_GuYq3Q0/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0

What does it take to grow a dental practice without being trapped in the day to day? In this episode, Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler sit down with Philip Koury of Pacifico Dental Care to talk about scaling, delegation, simple growth systems, and the tools that help owners step back without losing visibility.Philip shares how he and his wife grew from a long-running family practice with 12 employees to an operation with more than 50 team members across multiple locations. He explains why owners need to let go of control, build clear leadership structures, and keep the business simple before adding complexity. He also breaks down a tactical new patient system built around a zero roadblock policy and explains how daily reports and notifications help him monitor growth from anywhere in the world. If you want practical insight on scaling a dental practice, leading through managers, and creating more owner freedom, this episode is packed with it.Learn more about TeamCare: www.teamcaredental.com

What does it really take to build a smarter dental practice? In this episode, Kyle Bergman and Dr. Sharon Bleiler sit down with Kiera Dent, CEO and founder of Dental A Team, to talk about leadership, accountability, systems, and the numbers that drive growth.Kiera shares how practices move from chaos to clarity by focusing on vision, consistency, and measurable performance. She breaks down her YES model, which starts with the doctor, then earnings, then systems and team development. The conversation also covers hygiene production benchmarks, leadership maturity, why A players want to work with A players, and how visible scoreboards can improve team accountability. You will also hear a real example of finding 800 reactivation patients in a practice with 1,900 active patients that needed 2,800. If you want practical advice on practice growth, team performance, and smarter operations, this episode delivers.Use code: EXTRACTION for 50% off your ticket to the Dental A Team's Virtual Summit: Scaling Leadership & Growing Profit in Your Dental Practice https://info.thedentalateam.com/summit-26 www.teamcaredental.com

Many dentists build successful practices but feel trapped in the chair. What if the practice could run without constant input from the owner?In this episode of The Extraction, hosts Kyle Bergman and Colin sit down with Dr. Ruth Mannschreck, DDS: dentist, business strategist, founder of Shoreline Strategies, and host of the Team-Led Business Success podcast.Dr. Ruth shares the story that forced her to redesign her own practice. After her daughter’s traumatic birth, she reduced clinical days from five to two and a half while eventually restoring and growing revenue. That experience led to a framework focused on systems, communication, team development, and culture.The conversation explores how mapping the patient journey creates consistency, why team culture is a leading indicator of practice health, and how owners can work with their team to build a business that supports their lifestyle.If you want more time, stronger teams, and a practice that runs smoothly without constant oversight, this episode offers a practical starting point.https://shorelinestrategies.com/https://www.teamcaredental.com

Sarah Ruberg, founder and CEO of Our Thrive Tribe, joins Kyle Bergman and TeamCare Dental CEO Colin to break down what actually helps dental vendors and leaders win with DSOs. Her answer is simple. Stop waiting behind the booth. Start building relationships people can trust.Sarah explains why personal branding matters more as the market gets noisier, especially for dental SaaS founders, AI companies, RCM providers, and consultants. She shares a practical LinkedIn playbook that starts with one to two posts a week and daily engagement on other people’s content. She also explains why comments often matter more than cold DMs. The episode unpacks Colin’s LinkedIn post that reached 80,000 impressions, earned 710 likes and 31 comments, and why personal stories tied to real business lessons outperform generic self-promotion. They also discuss how TeamCare crossed 1,000 active locations and where consultants may help practices adopt incentive programs more effectively.https://ourthrivetribe.co/https://teamcaredental.com/

Neil Zemba, founder and CEO of Rise DDS, breaks down what most dental marketing reports miss and how practices can link ads to real production. He shares why colorful dashboards full of clicks and impressions often hide low quality leads, and why “noise vs money” is the only output that matters. Neil explains how better attribution can show which keywords actually drive revenue, including why implant marketing performs better when you use plain language like “my tooth fell out” instead of jargon. He also makes a strong case for starting with a rip roaring hygiene recall program before spending on ads, including a benchmark that many practices only make about 350 recall attempts a month. Plus, Neil previews Rise Maps, a community and patient mapping approach that blends supply, demand, and patient location insights to sharpen marketing decisions. https://risedds.com/https://teamcaredental.com/

Selling your dental practice should not feel like a gamble. It should feel like a plan. In this episode of The Extraction, Kyle Bergman and TeamCare co-founder and COO Sharon Bleiler talk with Rob Montgomery, founder of yourdentallawyer.com and co-host of the Dental Amigos podcast. Rob breaks down why DSO deals feel confusing, and why most fear comes from missing context and bad advice. He explains how valuation shifted from 65–80% of gross revenue to EBITDA-based multiples, and why higher EBITDA can mean a higher multiple. Rob shares cautionary stories about unsolicited offers, rollover equity, hidden holdbacks, and why “$12M on the front page” can turn into far less after taxes, escrow, and lost owner income. The takeaway is simple. Build the right advisor team early. Avoid avoidable mistakes.

Cory Schoebel, Chief New Client Officer at Chrisad, joins Kyle Bergman and TeamCare CEO Colin Ambler to break down what actually drives dental practice growth. Cory shares why most “marketing problems” are really availability and operations problems, and why his top rule is simple: new patients must be able to get in today or tomorrow. They dig into the metrics that predict growth, including revenue per exam, pre-appointment rates, reactivation, open chair hours, and the gap between what owners think is available and what teams actually schedule. Cory also explains how high-performing practices create capacity without blowing up overhead through assisted hygiene, dedicated new patient columns, and exam-only blocks on Saturdays. If your schedule looks full but results say otherwise, this episode gives you a clear path to fix the friction and unlock demand.

Dr. Anushka Gaglani, co-founder and co-CEO of Areo Dental Group, joins Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler to share how she and her husband went from a first practice acquisition to building an eight-practice group in the Chicago area. Dr. Anushka breaks down the early moves that drove growth, including adding simple patient-facing tech like intraoral cameras and investing heavily in training for case acceptance and leadership. She shares a candid story about dropping Medicaid cold turkey, tracking production, and realizing patients were walking out without accepting treatment. That shift pushed her to focus on education and communication, not just clinical skills. The team also dives into metrics, EOS, and weekly L10 meetings, plus the KPIs they track like case acceptance, follow-up calls, and call answer rate. They close with a sharp discussion on incentives, including Google review rewards, gamification, and avoiding “king cobra” incentive traps.

Chaos in a dental practice rarely comes from bad intentions. It comes from a lack of structure. In this episode of The Extraction, Kyle Bergman is joined by Dr. Sharon Blyler, co-founder of TeamCare, and special guest Sydney Robinson, Founder of Clarity Dental Solutions.Sydney shares her journey from office manager to operations leader to founder, and explains why many practices unknowingly run on personality instead of process. The conversation breaks down early warning signs of chaos, how the front desk experience sets the tone for the entire practice, and why role clarity matters before addressing performance issues. Sydney also introduces practical frameworks like “Freaky Friday” role swaps to build empathy and accountability across teams. The episode explores transparency through leaderboards, incentives, and systems that reduce drama while raising performance. This is a practical listen for owners and leaders who want momentum back fast.

Selling a dental practice is not just about price. Timing, structure, and preparation matter more than most owners realize. In this episode of The Extraction, Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler sit down with Justin Klingshirn, Partner and Managing Director at McLerran and Associates and the team behind DentalTransitions.com.Justin shares how he entered dentistry through banking, why private equity fell in love with dental practices, and how valuations exploded post-COVID. He breaks down how private equity funds actually work, how DSOs use leverage, and why same store growth now matters more than simple aggregation. The conversation also covers common mistakes owners make by waiting too long, why selling sooner is often better than later, and what a smart partnership with a DSO really looks like today. This episode gives owners a clear look behind the curtain of dental deals and what it takes to maximize outcomes.

What separates high performing dental practices from those stuck in burnout? Mindset, culture, and accountability. In this episode of The Extraction, Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler sit down with Marni Blythe, Founder and CEO of Full Pocket Coaching, to unpack how growth mindset, incentives, and scorecards create practices where teams want to stay and improve.Marni shares her journey from marketing and entrepreneurship into dentistry, explains the difference between fixed and growth mindset, and why many dentists stall due to burnout and survival mode. The conversation explores how incentives go far beyond money, why peer recognition matters more than manager praise, and how automated systems remove friction from busy teams. You will also hear practical frameworks for scorecards, KPIs, leaderboards, and how transparency can elevate performance or naturally filter out those resistant to growth.This episode is packed with actionable insights for owners ready to move beyond the status quo.

In this episode of The Extraction, Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler sit down with Eric Vickery, President of Coaching at All-Star Dental Academy and a leading voice in case acceptance and phone performance. Eric shares how most people fall into dentistry by accident, then explains why cancellations became his obsession early on.The conversation breaks down why hygiene cancellations are more common than doctor cancellations and how the same verbal skills apply to a $250 cleaning and a $30,000 treatment plan. Eric outlines clear KPIs including a 5 percent hygiene cancellation target and 3 percent on the doctor schedule, and explains how hitting those numbers can unlock tens of thousands in annual revenue.You will hear why policies feel like threats to patients, how effective communication replaces penalties, and how leadership buy-in determines whether systems actually stick. This episode is packed with real examples, proven numbers, and practical thinking for practices that want healthier patients and more predictable growth.

Kelly Dahmer, CEO of Next Level Practice, shares how practices grow without the owner staying trapped in the day to day admin noise. Kelly explains why “fresh, not new” matters, how she worked her way from admin assistant to CEO, and what founder transition really looks like when a leader steps back. You will hear a clear framework for decentralizing the doctor by elevating a team leader and building structures that create accountability. The conversation also breaks down why tracking KPIs matters, why information without implementation has no value, and how bonus systems fail when the team lacks clarity and a shared “why.” Kelly outlines four key workplace personas and how to lead each one. They also discuss practice value, exit planning, and the idea of a Zillow style marketplace for dental practices.

Dr. Whitney Weiner has lived every side of growth in dentistry. She is a periodontist, mom of three, CEO and founder of Whole Dental Wellness, and chief growth officer and board member at Icon Dental Partners. In this episode she breaks down how she bought seven practices and rolled them into three locations, built a multidisciplinary hub in Detroit, and learned to lead through culture and incentives.Dr. Weiner shares how open book management changed her team’s mindset around numbers, why she pays doctors on collections, and how a simple appointment volume game and a supply cost bonus produced double digit returns. She and the TeamCare crew dig into micro rewards, Google review incentives, and why small wins drive big momentum. If you care about performance, people, and profit in your dental practice, this conversation gives you playbook level insight you can use right away.

Brand strategist and dental consultant Laura Nadler, founder of Working Cat Marketing and VP at the Academy of Dental Management Consultants, joins The Extraction to discuss how branding drives retention and team culture. Laura explains why most practices lose up to 40 % of new patients after their first visit—and how authentic branding can cut that in half. She shares how to define your ideal patient, tailor messaging to different demographics, and align your team’s culture with your marketing. Laura also reveals actionable tips for generating social media content in-house and motivating staff through simple systems and incentives. This episode blends creative insight with data-driven strategy—perfect for practice owners ready to grow the right way.

Dr. Peter Boulden joins The Extraction to share a clear path from one practice to many. He is a multi-practice owner in Atlanta and co-founder of Bulletproof Dental Practice. He explains how to pick a profitable model, choose a location with intent, and avoid the “lost decade” by getting clarity early. We cover buckets of systems for hygiene, operative, and front office. We talk KPIs that matter, culture, transparency, and how to use incentives the right way. Dr. Boulden shows why simple dentistry at scale helps owners get out of the chair and why delegation beats doing it all. We also demo TeamCare’s hygiene reactivation flow, live leaderboards, and incentives that pay for attended visits, with a real month showing 23 patients reactivated and $26,000 in added production. Practical, direct, and built for action.

Greg Brooks, Managing Director at Global Strategic, joins hosts Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler to reveal the ultimate hygiene reactivation playbook. Together, they break down how dental offices can delegate patient recall to trained offshore teams, powered by TeamCare’s real-time tracking technology. Greg explains how outsourcing boosts efficiency, reduces overhead, and fills empty hygiene chairs risk free. Colin and Kyle walk through the system that connects call outcomes, text follow-ups, and analytics directly to production dollars—showing $30,000+ in recovered revenue per month. Learn how the “living list,” leaderboards, and pay-on-performance model are transforming how practices handle recall and scale.Discover how to grow without adding staff—and only pay for results.

Gary Takacs, often called the godfather of dental podcasting, joins Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler to discuss why the “people side” of dentistry is the real driver of business success. He explains how connection builds trust, how to design a schedule that works for both profit and balance, and why three-day doctor weeks can outperform four-day ones. Gary shares the “rock, sand, and water” model for scheduling, his pre-payment courtesy approach, and the behavioral principles that increase treatment acceptance. The conversation also dives into leadership, incentive systems, and using data tools like TeamCare to track progress and reward performance.

Multi-practice owner Dr. Jim Arnold joins hosts Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler to break down how winning practices really grow. He shares his journey from a million dollars of debt to scaling multiple locations by building team-driven systems, delegating with trust, and tracking what matters. You will hear why the dentist is often the bottleneck, how to simplify incentives so teams take ownership, and how to quantify treatment plans with reasons for not scheduling to improve case acceptance. Dr. Jim explains the Foundation Dental Mastermind, with weekly sessions and 20 to 25 niche experts, plus luxury dental retreats. Colin adds operator perspective from a $7M, 14-chair practice and how TeamCare automates incentives from the PMS with instant, same-day bonuses. Close with a clear message: develop soft skills, know your KPIs, and get a mentor. Recommended book mentioned by Colin: The Goal written by Eliyahu Goldratt

Practice growth starts with systems and people. In this episode, consultant Sandy Pardue joins TeamCare’s Dr. Sharon Bleiler and Kyle to unpack what really drives a healthy, profitable practice. Sandy shares her journey from office manager in a high volume, data driven clinic to advising 600 practices. She explains why treatment acceptance begins before the chair, how to hire by listening, and why culture improves when leaders add structure, accountability, and clear protocols. We dig into Dentaltown’s role in her career, simple steps to reengage patients, and a practical view on AI that supports human relationships rather than replacing them. You will leave with checklists you can use, questions to ask in interviews, and a push to communicate more with your team. Dentistry wins when the people part comes first.

Gary Bird, founder of SMC National, joins Kyle and Colin to break down why 80 percent of dental practices stall and how the top 20 percent keep growing. We dig into the real math of new patient flow, including unanswered calls that hover near 35 percent, front desk conversion that averages 50 percent on marketing leads, and 2 to 3 week waits that drive 30 to 40 percent no shows. Gary shares simple fixes that stack, answer more calls at peak times, train for redirect questions, and use hybrid block scheduling so new patients get in today or tomorrow.Then we connect growth to incentives. Colin and Kyle share how TeamCare automates micro bonuses for Google reviews by tagging everyone who touched the visit, and why goal based and individual rewards lift culture and output. We also cover a 144 practice study where a 10 dollar hygiene reactivation bonus returned about 38 times the investment. Plus, Gary’s new series My Dental Playbook and the power of clear scoreboards for teams.If you care about phones, schedules, reviews, and incentives, this one gives you a clear playbook you can use this week.

In this conversation, Dr. Tina Saw, CEO and founder of Oral Genome, discusses her journey from being a general dentist to creating a groundbreaking saliva test that measures oral health biomarkers. The discussion covers the challenges faced in dental practice, the innovative product development process, and the importance of patient engagement in modern dentistry. Dr. Saw emphasizes the need for preventative care and how her product aims to bridge the gap between dental and medical health. The conversation also touches on market trends, insurance coverage, and the future of oral health technology.

In this episode, Dr. Sharon Bleiler, co-founder of Team Care, shares her journey from struggling as a dentist to successfully managing a thriving dental practice. The conversation explores the challenges faced in the business side of dentistry, the creation of Team Care as a solution for accountability and performance tracking, and the importance of effective coaching and communication within the practice. The discussion emphasizes the role of data in management, the significance of recognition and motivation, and the impact of daily feedback on continuous improvement. The episode concludes with insights on the crucial role of the front desk in patient management and the overall success of the practice.

In this episode, Colin and Kyle discuss the challenges and solutions surrounding dental staff incentives. They explore the shift from traditional hourly pay to performance-based incentives, the common pitfalls of manual tracking systems, and the benefits of automating incentive programs. The conversation highlights the importance of recognizing staff contributions through innovative methods like hygiene reactivation and Google reviews, ultimately aiming to enhance employee engagement and practice profitability.

In this inaugural episode of The Extraction, Kyle Bergman and Colin Ambler discuss the critical importance of pre-appointment rates in dental practices. They explore how many practices are unaware of their actual pre-appointment rates and the implications of this oversight. Through real examples and data analysis, they highlight the need for accountability and transparency in practice management. The conversation emphasizes that retaining existing patients is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, and that a high pre-appointment rate is essential for sustainable growth. The episode concludes with a call to action for practices to utilize TeamCare's tools to improve their pre-appointment rates and overall performance.