In this game-changing episode of the Marketing32 show, host Brett Allen welcomes Gary Takacs, the legendary "Podfather" of dental consulting who launched the industry's first dental podcast in 2011. With nearly five decades in dentistry and over 1,800 practices under his guidance, Gary has witnessed the devastating evolution of PPO plans from reasonable partnerships to profit-crushing schemes that trap dentists in a cycle of discounts and burnout. Through a compelling case study, Gary reveals how one solo practitioner collected an extra $300,000 annually by following his proven six-step blueprint for PPO liberation. More than just numbers, this episode tackles the industry's hidden crisis: the widespread lack of work-life balance among dental professionals and Gary's passionate mission to prove that world-class practices and effective life balance are not mutually exclusive.

In this episode...

Gary Takacs delivers a masterclass in practice transformation by exposing the devastating mathematics of PPO participation and providing a clear roadmap to financial freedom. His compelling case study of a solo practitioner who reduced production by $100,000 while increasing collections by $300,000 demonstrates the counterintuitive reality that less can indeed be more when you eliminate the insurance middleman. The six-step blueprint Gary presents isn't theoretical—it's battle-tested across over 400 practices in every conceivable market condition, from urban centers to small rural towns.

The episode's most powerful insights emerge from Gary's historical analysis of dental insurance evolution. What began in 1968 as a reasonable partnership allowing patients to receive 13+ crowns annually has devolved into a system where the same $1,000 annual benefit barely covers one crown today. Meanwhile, insurance executives capture the difference while dentists absorb 45-50% discounts that would be considered outrageous in any other industry. Gary's restaurant analogy crystallizes this absurdity—no successful restaurateur would allow a third party to dictate menu prices while providing questionable customer quality.

Beyond the financial liberation, Gary addresses the profession's deeper crisis: the pervasive lack of work-life balance that has dentists achieving financial success at the expense of family relationships, personal health, and life satisfaction. His personal story about missing his daughter's childhood while trapped in the "someday" mentality resonates as both warning and motivation. The episode concludes with Gary's passionate assertion that world-class practices and effective life balance are not mutually exclusive, offering hope to practitioners who feel forced to choose between professional success and personal fulfillment.

In this dynamic episode of the Marketing32 show, host Brett Allen welcomes four dental industry legends who are transforming how teams learn and grow together. Tija Hunter (44 years in dentistry), Emme Sanders (35+ years as a hygienist), Dana Watson (dental spouse and leadership expert), and Lois Banta (49 years in dental business) have joined forces to create COLLABricon - the industry's first truly collaborative conference experience. As the only four women-owned founders in dentistry consulting, these powerhouses recognized a fundamental flaw in traditional dental education: teams attend conferences, split into breakout sessions, and return to work unable to implement what they've learned because they're not aligned. Their solution? Keep everyone together, learn together, and create action plans together. This episode reveals how their revolutionary approach is generating remarkable results and transforming practice cultures across the country.

In this episode...

This episode showcases how four industry veterans identified and solved a critical problem in dental education through their innovative COLLABricon conference. The founders' combined century of experience revealed that traditional conference formats actually reinforce the silo mentality that plagues dental practices. When hygienists learn about periodontal disease management in one breakout while assistants learn instrument protocols in another, they return to work unable to create the cohesive patient experience that drives success. The Collaboracon model keeps entire teams together throughout the learning process, ensuring shared understanding and unified implementation.

The methodology behind COLLABricon is brilliantly simple yet revolutionary. Rather than predetermined curricula, 40-60% of the content is driven by attendee needs discovered through interactive exercises. The four experts don't just present individually - they collaborate on every presentation, modeling the team behavior they want to instill. Teams sit together at tables while the coaches circulate, providing real-time input and resources as challenges are identified. This approach creates immediate accountability and shared commitment to action items, with built-in follow-up to ensure implementation success.

The results speak volumes about the power of collaborative learning. Practices are reporting unprecedented achievement levels, with one nine-location group creating sophisticated tracking systems that exceeded their own expectations by mid-year. The success has spawned COLLABricoaching for on-site consulting and plans for a future podcast. Most importantly, the approach demonstrates that when teams learn together, they can achieve together - transforming not just individual knowledge but entire practice cultures through unified vision and execution.

In this inspiring episode of the Marketing32 show, host Brett Allen sits down with Joanne Miles, the "Swiss Army Knife of Dentistry" and lead investment grade practice business advisor with Productive Dentist Academy. Joanne's remarkable journey from dental assistant to regional DSO manager to industry leader showcases the limitless potential within dental careers. With decades of nationwide experience, she now helps practices achieve operational excellence through her innovative Clinical Calibration Institute - the first online platform designed to unite entire dental teams under one comprehensive clinical philosophy. From overcoming early career challenges to developing cutting-edge training solutions, Joanne shares invaluable insights on leadership, team development, and creating investment-grade practices.

In this episode...

Joanne Miles delivers a masterclass in dental practice transformation through her unique perspective as someone who has literally worked every role in the dental office. Her journey began in 1986 as a dental assistant during a time when gloves weren't even standard practice, but was quickly accelerated when she was thrust into management after an embezzlement crisis. This baptism by fire taught her the critical importance of systems, leadership, and comprehensive business understanding - lessons that would shape her entire career trajectory.

The centerpiece of this episode is Joanne's introduction of the Clinical Calibration Institute, a revolutionary online learning platform that addresses one of dentistry's most persistent challenges: getting entire teams aligned with the doctor's clinical philosophy and standards of care. Unlike traditional continuing education that focuses primarily on clinical training for dentists, CCI brings together hygienists, assistants, admin staff, and doctors in a cohesive learning environment. The platform features on-demand modules covering everything from comprehensive diagnostics and risk factor conversations to scheduling optimization and financial solutions, all designed to break down the silos that typically exist within dental practices.

What makes Joanne's approach particularly powerful is her understanding that successful practices require more than just clinical excellence - they need investment-grade business systems and strong leadership development. Her work focuses on helping practice owners recognize that leadership begins with self-leadership, and that creating a clear cultural north star is essential for team alignment and sustainable growth. Through monthly virtual masterminds, global peer learning opportunities, and practical implementation tools, the Clinical Calibration Institute represents a new paradigm in dental team development that prioritizes accessibility, affordability, and real-world application over traditional conference-based learning models.