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This week on DentalBytes, Marc sits down with Seth Potter — dental technologist, educator, and global traveler redefining what it means to live and work in the digital age of dentistry.

From missionary roots and analog wax-ups to AI-driven design and 3D printing, Seth’s journey shows how passion and purpose can shape both career and lifestyle. 🌎💻

They dive into:
• The rise of digital workflows and AI-powered design
• How 3D printing is transforming patient care and lab collaboration
• Why embracing technology doesn’t replace human connection — it enhances it

Whether you’re a clinician, technician, or just love innovation, this episode will inspire you to think bigger about what’s possible in modern dentistry.

📸 Follow Seth: @SethPotterDental

#DentalBytes 

#DentistOnDemand 

#DigitalDentistry 

#DentalInnovation

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In this landmark episode, Marc Wagner sits down with the legendary Dr. Howard Farran, founder of DentalTown, renowned dentist, speaker, entrepreneur, and unapologetically candid voice in the dental industry. If you’ve ever wanted to hear the raw, unfiltered truth about what it really takes to thrive in dentistry — not just clinically but financially, mentally, and spiritually — this is the episode to lock into.

Dr. Farran brings fire and wisdom to every minute of the conversation, covering everything from the psychology of fear and survival, to burnout, to the difference between dentists who make it and those who stay stuck. This is not another fluffy motivational interview. It’s a wake-up call, a roadmap, and a reality check for anyone in the dental field.

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Key Topics Discussed

🧠 Fear, Scarcity & Survival Instincts in Dentistry
•Why humans are hardwired to focus on negativity — and how dentists must overcome this bias to grow.
•The tribalism and scarcity mindset that hold professionals back from seeing abundance.

🏢 Private Practice vs DSOs: Why the Debate Misses the Point
•Dr. Farran shatters the “evil DSO” myth and explains how group practices can be the best training ground for young dentists.
•Real-world breakdown of DSO demographics (most are 4–9 locations, not corporate monsters).
•The myth of “I don’t take insurance” straight out of school — and why it’s financial suicide.

💰 What Thriving Dentists Actually Do
•Why your location and demographics are 80% of your success.
•The importance of extended hours, emergency ops, and marketing funnels.
•Why too many new grads are “too good” for real experience and miss out on the grind that builds greatness.

📈 Hard Truths About Dental Burnout
•Burnout isn’t from dentistry — it’s from moral injury and being in the wrong work environment.
•You didn’t go through 8 years of school to be treated like a production robot.
•“You’re not burned out… You’ve just never been shown how to lead.”

👥 Mentorship and Moral Injury
•Why having a true mentor — someone who protects your soul, not exploits your labor — is more important than your first salary.
•How to identify toxic practices before you sign — including turnover red flags, manipulative treatment planning, and ego-driven owners.

🦷 Mastery Through Reps, Not Conferences
•Forget flying across the country to a fancy CE course if you haven’t even read the textbook.
•“You don’t learn to do implants by reading about them — you learn by screwing up the first 100.”
•The pattern of success: read the literature → practice hands-on → embrace failures → level up.

📞 Your Front Desk is Losing You Millions
•The highest paid role in every other industry is sales… so why is your receptionist your lowest paid, least trained employee?
•Why call conversion is the number one ROI lever in your practice.
•Dr. Farran’s data: DSOs like Heartland convert 4/5 calls into booked appointments — what’s your rate?

🤖 AI, Automations & the Next Frontier
•Why automating reception calls with AI is the worst mistake you can make.
•The dentist of the future will run lean teams with custom-built automation, but still invest in human connection where it matters.

📲 Connect with Dr. Howard Farran
•DentalTown: https://www.dentaltown.com (https://www.dentaltown.com)
•Instagram: @howardfarran
•Podcast: “Dentistry Uncensored with Howard Farran”
•Books: Uncomplicate Business, The Business of Dentistry

Dr. Farran dropped enough truth bombs for ten epi
sodes — this one’s legendary.

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This one spans the globe — literally. Craig joined me from the future (Australia!) for a deep dive into one of the most overlooked (yet critical) conversations in dentistry: exit planning.

With 25 years in M&A and a clear mission to help dentists build businesses worth buying, Craig lays out:

✅ The 11 ways to exit your practice (you probably only know 2)
✅ How to turn admin chaos into backend structure
✅ Why internal staff ownership can be a game-changer
✅ And how AI, automation, and even rollups are transforming dentistry — globally

Oh — and we also covered dental robots, co-op strategies, mental health in retirement, bolting on breweries (yes), and how to reclaim time and purpose in your career.

📈 If you’re a practice owner thinking about what’s next — whether it’s tomorrow, or 10 years from now — this is your roadmap.

🧠 Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts

hashtag#DentalBytes hashtag#DentalPodcast hashtag#ExitStrategy hashtag#PracticeGrowth

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In this powerful and purpose-driven episode, host Marc Wagner welcomes Wayne Rees, a long-time innovator in dental imaging and the driving force behind the VELscope oral cancer screening system. With over 35,000 units in operation globally, VELscope is transforming how dental practices detect early signs of oral cancer, dysplasia, bacterial load, periodontal disease, and even signs of sleep apnea—using a safe, blue light fluorescence system.

Wayne shares how his journey began over 35 years ago in imaging technology, leading to his current mission: helping clinicians catch disease early and save lives. From partnering with the BC Cancer Agency to collaborating with specialists like Dr. Samson Ng and Dr. Edmund Truelove, Wayne and his team have developed a next-generation VELscope featuring surgical white light, polarized light for clearer images, and seamless integration with mobile devices and second-opinion platforms like OralMedicine.com.

🔍 Key Topics Covered:

VELscope’s clinical evolution and why it’s more than just a cancer detector—it’s a visual guide to better diagnosis.
How the blue light fluorescence works by identifying non-fluorescent (dark) areas that may signal pathology.
Why annual oral cancer screening (or more for high-risk patients) is vital—and how most practices are still falling short.
The growing role of HPV (types 16 & 18) in oral cancer and how rising case numbers (60,000/year in North America) demand proactive care.

New use cases: VELscope for margin delineation during tumor removal surgery, confirmed by BC Cancer’s five-year, double-blinded study.

Real-world success stories where VELscope literally helped save lives—including cases where seasoned dentists discovered oral cancer in their patients for the first time.

The push toward AI-powered diagnostics, with collaborative efforts underway with University of Washington and BC Cancer Agency.

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In this episode, veteran guest Jim Doyle CFP, TEP, RRC, CLU, CIWM from IG Wealth Management returns to DentalBytes for his third appearance—and it’s a timely one. With interest rates climbing, inflation nibbling away at confidence, and many dentists juggling both personal and professional chaos, Jim brings a calming and practical voice to the conversation.

From defining real wealth (hint: it’s more than just a number) to avoiding FOMO in investment decisions, this candid discussion explores:

✅ The psychological side of financial planning
✅ Why “rules of thumb” can be risky for dentists
✅ How to approach retirement with clarity and confidence
✅ The power of diversification and professional collaboration
✅ What it really takes to feel rich in today’s climate

Whether you’re mapping your future, navigating rising costs, or just trying to figure out how to stay afloat this summer—this episode delivers the perspective you need.

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We’re joined by the brilliant Dr. Lovedeep Randhawa — dentist, educator, and lifelong learner — for a powerful conversation on the future of dentistry.

From Invisalign treatment planning to minimally invasive veneers, Dr. Randhawa shares why orthodontics is essential to great general dentistry and how digital tools like Itero & Lumina are transforming patient care.

🎙️ What you’ll hear in this episode:

✔️ Why malocclusion is rising in today’s patients
✔️ When wisdom teeth really need to come out
✔️ The art of minimally invasive dentistry
✔️ How digital workflows boost case acceptance
✔️ Dr. Randhawa’s candid take on burnout & balance

Her passion for teaching, travel, and innovation shines through — and this one is packed with insights for any dentist looking to stay ahead of the curve.

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“We’re doing too much—and not enough of the right things.”

In this episode of DentalBytes, I sit down with Nish Sampath—a fractional COO and business builder with a surgical mindset for strategy, structure, and scaling.

We get into:
🧠 Why most business problems are people problems
🛠️ How to simplify without sacrificing performance
💸 Why financial clarity is often the most neglected pillar
⚙️ How AI isn’t replacing us—it’s freeing us
🫂 Why community matters more than ever

Whether you’re scaling fast or stuck in the weeds, this one’s for you.

🎧 Tune in now.
#DentalBytes #FractionalCOO #BusinessStrategy #SwitchAdvisory #Leadership #AIinBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Podcast

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🔗 Guest Info

Nish Sampath
📍 Fractional COO, Co-Founder of Switch Advisory
💡 Helping companies find clarity, simplify execution, and scale with purpose
🌐 LinkedIn Profile

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Be Okay with Not Okay: The Lost Art of Being Human

You ever have one of those days where your brain’s running diagnostics, but all it returns is: “System Overwhelmed – Try Snacks or Existential Reflection”?

Yeah. Same.

In a world obsessed with optimization, perfection, and productivity, sometimes the most rebellious thing you can do is… absolutely nothing. Or better yet—feel something.

Here’s the truth:

✨ Some days, you’re not supposed to “crush it.”

✨ Some days, the win is brushing your teeth and sending one email.

✨ Some days, the only thing getting you through is a walk, a meme, or yelling “I’m fine!” into the void (with questionable conviction).

And you know what? That’s not weakness. That’s being gloriously, beautifully human.

The goal isn’t to always feel good—it’s to feel real.

To be okay with not being okay. To sit with it. To feel the fog and know the sun still exists behind it.

So today, instead of striving to be perfect… try being present.

Let the cracked parts of your day breathe a little. That’s where the light gets in anyway.

#BeHuman #EmbraceImperfection #DentalBytes #MentalHealth #ItsOkayToNotBeOkay #ExistentialSnackBreak #LetTheCracksBreathe #DentistsArePeopleToo

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