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The 10x Rule: Supercharging Your Dental Practice for Success

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The 10x rule is a powerful concept that can take your dental practice to the next level. So, let’s look at how it can work for you.  

Do you think of yourself as an entrepreneur? Do you think of yourself as an investor? If not, why not? You’re a business owner. Your dental practice is a business. For this post, I would like you to see yourself as an investor and see how you can apply the principles discussed below to your dental organization, no matter how big or small it is. Deal?  

The 10x rule has a simple but game-changing premise: Instead of aiming for small, gradual improvements, aim to multiply your efforts and results by 10 times. It’s about setting audacious goals and taking massive actions to achieve them. 

Ultimately though, the 10x approach is really about adopting an investor mindset when you’re optimizing your dental practice. This might be a little challenging to think about at first. As a dental practice owner, you may not think of yourself as an investor; you may not even see your business as scalable. Yes, it can be done, yes, you’ve seen it happen in other practices, but how do you do it yourself? How do you begin to change your thinking and start taking action like an entrepreneur and investor in your practice?  

Changing your mindset is the first step. Learning to apply a growth mindset to your thinking and then to your business is life changing. That shift in mindset can change the trajectory of your life. Are you ready?  

Let’s dive into the deep end of the pool and look at ways that you can begin to see your dental practice as an investment and every dollar you’re spending in your practice as a down payment on that investment.   

The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.”

~Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first woman president

The 10x Rule for Your Dental Practice 

Yes, 10x is about maximizing your investment but it is also about making sure every dollar you spend is necessary and a reinvestment into your practice. Here’s why, for every unnecessary dollar you spend on your practice, that is one dollar less that you will get back when it’s time to exit. Likewise, for every necessary dollar you spend, that is one more dollar that goes into your pocket when you exit.  

So, the question becomes, how do you invest and reinvest in your practice wisely, so you maximize your investment? And remember, we want big, audacious goals. Jim Collins has a term for this, Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal or BHAG. In his book, Built to Last, Jim talks about setting these goals for yourself to think big and create a plan for long-term success. Big goals are not short-term hops, they are long-term leaps that keep teams focused thereby giving your organization tighter restraints to achieve them.  

Setting 10x Goals for Your Dental Practice 

When setting a goal for your dental practice, the goal, at first glance, might seem almost impossible to achieve. This could mean setting a goal to increase your patient base by 10 times or to generate 10 times the revenue you’re currently making. Keep in mind, these are audacious goals, not modest ones.  

If you want to read firsthand how one dental practice did this, take a look at this case study.

The Power of Massive Action in your Dental Practice 

Once you’ve set your 10x goal, it’s time for massive action. To achieve such an audacious goal, you need to take massive, consistent, and persistent actions. For instance, if your goal is to increase your patient base, you might need to ramp up your marketing efforts, improve your online presence, and offer exceptional patient experiences to attract and retain more clients. All those elements need to be taken into consideration.  

Take a look at the graphic below. This graphic shows the BHAG my partner and president of Optimize Practice Alliance, Dr. Jack Bayraymyan, designed when he was scaling his dental practice organization.

BHAG for your Dental Practice

This looks extremely ambitious, and it was. However, taking a very long view of what Jack wanted to build was the beginning of an incredible and ultimately successful journey. It took this level of vision to accomplish what he eventually accomplished. But he didn’t do it alone.

The first and most vital step after creating your audacious goal, is making sure your team is on board. You need to analyze your team and ensure that everyone is in the right job for them. Next, you need to be confident they are ready, willing and able to fight for your goal as hard as you are going to fight for it. Your team is the most vital component of reaching your goal.  

Embrace Innovation for Your Dental Practice  

To truly leverage the 10x rule, embrace innovation in your practice. Explore technologies and techniques that can help you stand out in the industry. Invest in the latest dental equipment and software that can enhance patient care and streamline your operations. Innovate not just for the sake of it but to drive real results and efficiencies. And remember to do it wisely. If you can find a gently used version of the same technology that is a strong investment because you’re saving money that will eventually end up back in your pocket.  

Digital Transformation in the Dental Industry 

Given your role in optimizing and growing the online presence of your dental organization, digital transformation is a key aspect of implementing the 10x rule. Here are some strategies to consider: 

  • Social Media Presence: Use social media platforms to showcase your practice. Share educational content, patient testimonials, and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Engage with your audience to build a loyal following. 
  • Website Excellence: Ensure your website is user-friendly, informative, and optimized for search engines. A well-structured website is your digital storefront, and it can attract new patients. 
  • Online Scheduling: Implement an online appointment scheduling system to make it convenient for patients to book appointments.
  • Telemedicine: Explore telehealth options for consultations and follow-ups, providing flexibility for patients and expanding your reach. 
  • Patient Reviews: Encourage satisfied patients to leave positive reviews on platforms like Google My Business. Positive reviews can significantly boost your credibility and attract more clients.  

Building a Strong Team 

Remember, having a strong, resilient and cohesive team is the main component of reaching your audacious goal. Communication, transparency, compassionate leadership and the free flow of ideas and feedback are the elements that will help you build a team that will drive your goal. If you have a team that fights for your vision, there is no end to what you can achieve.   

The 10x rule for your dental practice

10X Growth Requires 10X Clarity

The 10X Rule isn’t just about working harder, it’s about directing massive effort toward the right activities. If you want to scale your practice, expand your vision, and take your organization to the next level, you need absolute clarity on what’s actually driving results.

That’s why we created the Optimize KPI Tracker for dental entrepreneurs. This tool helps you focus on the metrics that truly move the needle, so your time, energy, and leadership are applied where they create the greatest impact. When you track the right numbers consistently, you stop guessing and start executing with precision. 10X growth requires discipline, accountability, and visibility. The KPI Tracker gives you all three.

What are you willing to achieve? Now, raise the bar 10x higher than that. You got this.  

Download Your KPI Tracker

The 3 Pillars of Success in Your Dental Practice: How Teams Impact the Patient Journey

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Is your dental practice doing this? As a startup, my partner and CEO of OPA, Josh Gwinn, and I have thought a lot about the mission and vision of our organization. What value do we bring to the marketplace? Where do we want to take Optimize Practice Alliance? What is our unique selling proposition?  

These are all valid questions. But there is one desire that has driven my ambition for OPA. In a rapidly changing 21st century, I want to see dentists remain as the driving center of dentistry. Why? Because it is dentists who know what is best for dental patients. Private equity investors and the ancillary industries that are quickly growing up around PE do not know what is best for patients. Dentists do. And Josh and I are dedicated to supporting dentists, their teams and their visions for growth.  

Behind our mission of keeping dentists at the center of an evolving industry is our philosophy for why we’ve chosen this mission. Our philosophy is a simple, 3-pillared approach that I’m going to break down and share with you here. I want you to know why we do what we do.  

What are the three pillars of success for a dental practice? 

Pillar 1: Quality of Patient Care in Every Dental Practice Organization 

The cornerstone of a successful dental practice is the quality of patient care it offers. This includes but also goes beyond clinical expertise and technical skill. Quality of care encompasses the entire patient journey; from the moment a patient calls your practice to the aftercare and follow-up that patient receives.  

  • Clinical Excellence: The first and foremost aspect of patient care is clinical excellence. It behooves dentists and their teams to stay updated with the latest advancements in dental technology and treatment modalities to offer the best possible care in a competitive market.  
  • Effective Communication: Clear and empathetic communication is vital. Patients should feel comfortable discussing their concerns, understanding treatment options, and being part of the decision-making process. 
  • Preventive Dentistry: Promoting preventive dentistry not only improves oral health but also fosters long-term relationships with patients. Regular check-ups, cleanings, and education on oral hygiene are key components. 
  • Patient Education: Educated patients are empowered patients. Providing patients with information about their oral health and treatment options helps them make informed decisions. 
  • Follow-Up and Aftercare: The care doesn’t end after the treatment. Regular follow-up and post-treatment care ensure that patients recover smoothly and maintain their oral health. 

The beginning steps we take, at OPA, after on-boarding is bringing our partner practices in alignment with our philosophy, helping practices improve technology, team communication, and the entire patient journey. We support clinicians in delivering the highest quality care and optimizing the teams, systems and processes that deliver that care on a daily basis. We support you while you are supporting the patient.  

Pillar 2: Quality of Patient Experience Throughout the Dental Patient Journey 

A positive patient experience is the driving force behind patient retention and word-of-mouth referrals. It’s not just about what happens during the dental appointment but the entire journey. The three aspects we like to ensure are retention, referrals and reviews. Those three elements help us track and measure and optimize the patient experience. The other elements we focus on are the following:  

  • A Friendly and Welcoming Environment: Creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the clinic sets the tone for a positive experience. From the receptionist’s smile to the ambiance, every detail matters. And the warmth of our team members goes along way. Many patients have anxiety around the dental experience either due to their own past experiences, stories from others or a general anxiety around healthcare. A warm smile can diminish and sometimes extinguish a patient’s fear and anxiety.  
  • Minimal Wait Times: Long waiting times can be frustrating for patients. Efficient scheduling and minimizing delays demonstrate respect for their time. This starts with optimizing scheduling operations and as well as improving team communication and cohesion.  
  • Pain Management: Managing pain and discomfort during procedures is crucial. Using the latest pain management techniques can make a significant difference in the patient’s experience.
  • Transparency in Billing: Patients appreciate transparency in billing. Providing clear estimates and discussing payment options can reduce anxiety related to costs. A dental practice can even reduce costs and refine price lists after updating and optimizing systems and processes. OPA is dedicated to cost efficiency for everyone.  
  • Feedback and Improvement: Actively seeking feedback from patients and using it to make improvements shows a commitment to continuous enhancement of the patient experience. There is no growth without measurement. You can’t know what to improve if you don’t measure. Data is everything. And that data comes from surveys, feedback, and good old-fashioned listening to your patients.  

We support teams in welcoming their patients with open arms, decreasing fear and anxiety around dental care and building lasting relationships.    

“In God we trust, all others bring data.” 

~W. Edwards Deming

Pillar 3: Access to Care for all within Your Community 

Ensuring that dental care is accessible to all segments of the population in your community is the third pillar of our philosophy. It involves both physical accessibility and financial affordability. To achieve this, a dental practice needs to be optimized, nimble and efficient.  

  • Appointment Flexibility: Offering flexible appointment hours, including evenings and weekends, can accommodate patients with non-traditional schedules. 
  • Telehealth Options: In the digital age, telehealth options can bridge geographical gaps and provide consultations to patients who can’t always visit the clinic physically. 
  • Affordable Payment Plans: Collaborating with insurance providers and offering affordable payment plans can make dental care more financially accessible. 
  • Community Outreach: Engaging in community outreach programs, such as free dental camps and educational seminars, can promote oral health and greater access to care. 
  • Specialized Care: Collaborating with specialists or referral networks ensures that your dental practice has the resources and access to specialized care when needed. 

Optimizing a dental practice means that we reach more people. And until we reach more people, we are not achieving our mission. At OPA we are serious about access to care for all. It’s not a sound bite to us, it is part of the philosophy that drives our mission.  

Behind these three pillars lies the foundation of harmonious, cohesive teamwork within the dental practice. Team Dynamics play a crucial role in creating a positive work environment where team members respect and support each other, communication is paramount and trust is established and reinforced through transparency and integrity.  

Training and Development are key to strong teams. Investing in ongoing training and development for the team ensures that everyone is aligned with the practice’s goals and up-to-date with industry standards and team members cultivate an ownership attitude.  

Another essential aspect of cohesion is role clarity. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities eliminate confusion as we as redundancy and ensure that each team member knows their contribution to the practice’s success.  

This is achieved through encouraging open communication within the team; and fostering idea-sharing and problem-solving, leads to innovation, collaboration and improvement. 

When a dental practice takes a patient-centered approach, the entire team, from front desk staff to hygienists and dentists, is invested in successful patient outcomes, putting the patient’s well-being at the forefront of their endeavors. Our job at OPA is to make this approach easier and more accessible for dental practices by lending our leadership through the restructuring phase and supporting your teams every step of the way.  

The success of a dental practice hinges on the three pillars of patient care, patient experience, and access to care, all built upon a solid foundation of harmonious teamwork. When these elements are incorporated and running optimally, the result is not just a thriving practice but also healthier, happier returning patients who are more likely to become advocates for your dental practice. 

Empowering your Dental Practice: Build Stronger Teams to Transform the Patient Journey

At the heart of an outstanding patient journey lie three foundational pillars: quality of care, quality of the patient experience, and a mission-driven commitment to access to care for all. When each pillar stands strong, your practice isn’t merely treating teeth—it’s crafting life-changing experiences and building enduring trust.

  • Quality of Care ensures that every procedure, interaction, and outcome reflects your clinical excellence and deeply caring ethos.
  • Patient Experience, from the very first phone call to follow-up scheduling, creates a seamless and thoughtful journey—one where patients feel seen, supported, and listened to every step of the way.
  • Access to Care invites your practice to lead with a greater purpose, ensuring that the communities you serve are welcomed and empowered to receive the care they deserve.

But these pillars only hold strong when the team behind them is unified—when clarity, accountability, and cohesion are woven into the very structure of your operations.

That’s where the OPA Accountability Chart steps in. This tool was designed to help dental practices like yours map functional roles, streamline communication, and ensure that every team member shares in your vision—so each pillar can support your mission more powerfully.

Ready to elevate your practice?

Download the OPA Accountability Chart to:

  • Clearly define roles and responsibilities
  • Strengthen team communication and execution
  • Bring your mission-driven vision to life through unified action

Get instant access by clicking the button below and check your inbox, too, because your chart will be waiting for you there.

Accountability Chart

The Power of Authentic Partnership for Your Dental Practice, Part 5: The Fine Print 

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Entering a partnership within the scope of your dental practice requires due diligence on both sides. But where does due diligence end and trust begin?  

In the video below Optimize President, Dr. Jack Bayramyan, and I, discuss that very situation. If there is true trust in someone you choose to go into partnership with, there must also be clear and open communication between you both. Partnership doesn’t exist without communication or trust.  

One of the first tests your partnership will encounter will be the due diligence aspect of becoming a partnership. This is where lawyers come in and start looking at your books, your operations, and you. Being ready for this process is paramount to the success of it.  

Preparing Your Dental Practice for Partnership 

Being open and transparent is one of the keys to success in beginning the process of joining two entities. Make no mistake, lawyers will look at everything: your daily calendar of events, how you run your operations, the true valuation of your organization, etc. It is a normal and detail-oriented process and you’ve got to be prepared. You always want to put your best foot forward, but you also want to be honest and truthful throughout the process.  

After the glow of meeting someone and then determining they’re the right partner for your practice, creating a business partnership is actually a lot of work. One of the keys to success is to begin the process of scaling your practice. When you evaluate your practice and stress the system to see where the weak aspects are, you are already able to understand your business better. And that really is what it comes down to, you want to have a detailed understanding of the operations, teams and systems of your entire organization.  

One of the ways you can gain that understanding is with our Assessment.  OPS has a comprehensive assessment you can take for free. That assessment will give you a clear understanding of your practice and what it is ready to take on. It will also help you answer if you, yourself, are ready for partnership or even if you want to take those next steps or not.  

The Values that Guide You also Guide Your Dental Practice 

But when is too far, too far? In the video, Jack describes being inundated with the same questions over and over again. He describes an almost too painstaking experience of having to repeatedly prove himself to lawyer after lawyer. When is it too much and enters into the realm of redundancy?  

In my experience, dental entrepreneur has her or his own line in the sand, if you will. No matter what, due diligence is a necessity but as in Jack’s situation, my lawyers were going above and beyond what they needed to do. I appreciated their thoroughness but when I got that call from Jack, I knew I had to act.  

After all, Dr. Jack was about to become my business partner, I needed to do my due diligence, but then I needed to balance that with the trust I would extend to any other partner or colleague. I got on the phone with my lawyers immediately. I checked to make sure we had what we needed, we did, and then I told them to back off. I called Jack back, explained the situation and let him know we had got what we needed and there would be no more redundant questions, etc.  

It was at that moment that trust was forged for real. That was truly the first real test of our partnership. He expressed a real issue and was honest and open about it. I had the power to address that issue and solve it to his satisfaction, so I did. We both ended that day happy.  

Are your personal values reflected in your dental practice, and the work you do? You may be interested in this post… 

The Power of Authentic Partnership in Your Dental Practice, Part 2: Are Shared Values Enough?

What Do You Look for in A Partner as A Dental Entrepreneur? I knew that Jack Bayramyan’s organization was a cut above. I would be lucky to partner with him. His organization…

Are You Ready for Dental Partnership?  

That first real issue in a partnership often sets the tone for everything that follows. Issues are inevitable, no business is ever issue-free. What determines whether a partnership succeeds isn’t the absence of challenges, but how those challenges are handled. Communication, transparency, and trust are the foundations. Without trust, partnership simply doesn’t work.

Before entering into partnership, it’s critical to be honest—not just about the organization, but about yourself as a leader. What are you ready for? What do you want your role to be? What are your non-negotiables? And what kind of future are you actually trying to build?

That’s why we created the Extraction GPS. This tool helps dental entrepreneurs clarify their values, define their current reality, and map a clear vision for where they’re going. It gives you the clarity needed to evaluate partnership opportunities thoughtfully, so decisions are made with intention, not pressure.

Partnership and scaling are major steps. The clearer you are before you take them, the stronger your outcomes will be.

Considering partnership or the next phase of growth for your dental practice organization?
Download the Extraction GPS to gain clarity on your readiness and ensure your next move supports the future you truly want to build.

Download Your Extraction GPS

PRESS RELEASE: HOUSTON-AREA DENTAL PRACTICES CREATE A GLOBALLY-RESPECTED NETWORK OF PERIODONTISTS, DENTISTS AND OTHER SPECIALISTS

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Rocket Health Partners - A Dental Practice Provider

HOUSTON, TX (July 25, 2023) – Houston-based Perio Health Professionals is excited to announce the successful formation of Rocket Health Partners, a project formed by Perio Health and facilitated by the Optimize Practice Services consulting team. The project is funded by the impact investment fund Altura Capital, in partnership with Plexus Capital and Hamilton Lane, and was brought to market by Kurt Harvey and Caber Hill Advisors.

Dr. Todd Scheyer of Perio Health Professionals had a vision and passion to scale a highly differentiated platform with worldwide impact alongside his partners Dr. Michael McGuire and Dr. Andrew Rossi.

“Making Rocket Health Partners a reality required leadership, credibility, and hard work. My partner Dr. Todd Scheyer and the Optimize Practice Services team brought all three in equal measure. I am so proud to see the legacy of my 40+ year career reach these heights and am forever grateful for the partnership it took to get here,” Dr. Michael K. McGuire, DDS, FICD, FACD, Board Certified Periodontist, Founder.

“At Altura Capital, we look for investment opportunities to improve lives in communities across the country. The vision of the Rocket Health Partners founders will do just that,” says Altura Capital managing partner Carlos Signoret. “We are eager to work with these skilled clinicians to build a platform for growth and excellence for years to come.”

Josh Gwinn, CEO of Optimize Practice Services, joined Rocket Health Partners as CEO-Consultant in 2022. He built trust and teamwork across the network of doctors and supported clarifying the doctors’ vision. From that early process through the close of the deal, the team worked together to put all the necessary pieces in place to make their vision a reality.

“The close of this deal for Rocket Health Partners is a testimony to what can be accomplished when clear intentions are declared and all parties are respected. The result is a structure that reflects the vision of the founders and is built for growth. It will benefit the member practices for years to come,” says Josh Gwinn, CEO, Optimize Practice Services, “we are looking forward to seeing their future success.”

Optimize Practice Services worked with all parties involved in the following areas:

  • Communication, support, and leadership through the transition.
  • Robust project management infrastructure.
  • Operational leadership.
  • Best-in-class vendors to support the management group build.

After many years of planning, Rocket Health Partners has successfully:

  • Brought 90+ doctors and employees together onto one team.
  • Centralized HR, accounting, procurement, and more under one roof.
  • Established a foundation for M&A activity to bring this innovative model to new areas.

ABOUT ROCKET HEALTH PARTNERS
Rocket Health Partners is a Houston-based dental support organization led by world-renowned and respected periodontists that have hand selected a highly committed group of founding practices. The network is comprised of master clinician dentists that provide comprehensive dental services. We believe our collective legacies will last for generations to come and positively impact the healthcare system worldwide.

ABOUT ALTURA CAPITAL
Altura Capital is a lower-middle market investment firm led by a team with 110+ years of collective experience in private equity, private debt, and company building. Altura uses an impact investing model to back healthcare, business services, consumer, and manufacturing businesses across the United States and Puerto Rico.

ABOUT OPTIMIZE PRACTICE SERVICES
Optimize Practice Services is a full-service consulting and dental partnership organization with the sole purpose of helping dentists and their teams clarify and then execute their own specific meaningful vision for growing and scaling, building or joining a platform, or securing investment.

ABOUT PLEXUS CAPITAL
Founded in 2005, Plexus has raised more than $1.7 billion across five funds, partnering with leaders of small businesses to help facilitate growth and create jobs. The Plexus team consists of 38 professionals with offices in Raleigh and Charlotte.

ABOUT HAMILTON LANE
Hamilton Lane is a leading global investment manager with over $830 billion in assets under management. The direct credit team has a 22-year track record of investing in direct credit, with $43.1 billion of deal flow since 2015 and $4.9 billion of committed capital across 195+ transactions.

Use These 6 Principles in your Dental Practice to Unleash Exponential Growth

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As a former dental practice owner who successfully scaled and exited my dental business, I wrote my book Extraction: The Surprising New Formula to Systemize, Scale and Sell Your Business specifically with the dental practice entrepreneur in mind. Why?  

I am a hard worker. I worked diligently for decades to build and scale my dental practice organization. But I am also an observer of the human condition, and I observed again and again how difficult it was for me to duplicate my success. With every new patient, every new team member, every new system or piece of technology we integrated we were faced with as many complications.  

Those complications wore out my teams, inundated our processes and overwhelmed each practice. And all these complications ended up stagnating our growth until we could dig ourselves out only to be met with another new patient and another several complications to our systems.  

That redundancy became a frustrating and predictable aspect of our growth. So, I set about working on a process to eliminate that stagnation from our business model lifecycle. As you can see in the chart below, a typical business lifecycle, pictured on the left, starts out with a vision and then moves into growth.

Once in growth, entrepreneurs and teams focus on the growth aspect of the business until everyone basically runs out of steam and the business starts to stagnate. Once a business has been in a state of stagnation for a while, there is a decline. That decline may lead to a complete burnout of the business or, if the entrepreneur is able to pivot and has a lot of resources, the business can recover from that decline.   

Lifecycle of your Dental Practice

Stagnation in Your Dental Practice Growth is Real – You Are Not Alone 

The question I wanted to answer was, is it possible to avoid or lessen that stagnation phase in order to avoid decline altogether? And after a lot of research, study and feedback from my teams, I can confidently say, that, yes, it is possible for a business to avoid falling into the deep crevasse of stagnation. There is a way to continue duplicating your success through scaling without experiencing crushing complications every time you add a new patient, team member or system to your scaling efforts. Ok, how?  

The Practice Optimization Process for Your Dental Practice 

I grew my organization from 1 dental practice to 8 in a very short time. At first, I enjoyed the process. It was a very exciting time, and I was learning so much. But as we kept growing things became more and more complex, stressful and overwhelming. I was spending less time in the dentist chair and more time putting out fires and managing chaos. Eventually, I burned out and I started to watch my efforts stagnate and my organization fall into some decline.  

All through this hectic time, I still tried to learn and understand and grow. I observed the process, took notes and tried to figure out a duplicate-able system for scaling that did not involve chaos management and getting stuck in stagnation.  

It took several more years of hindsight and reflection, but I was finally able to put my lessons into a sequence that I call the Practice Optimization Process. The Practice Optimization Process is a formula for staying out of stagnation while learning to pivot quickly as a leader to continue to grow and scale your business. There are 6 steps in this sequence:  

Define Point A

This step in the sequence allows you to assess where your practice or organization is right now and what mindset you have as a leader and dental practice entrepreneur. After all, if you or your practice is not ready or willing to scale or grow you need to be aware of that and understand why and what might be holding you back.  

Face Your Fears and Challenges 

You’ve assessed your Point A and more likely than not, have come away with an understanding that you’ve got some roadblocks and obstacles on the way to growth. Time to face those obstacles and understand them so you can remove them from the path. Many times, this means delving within your own mindset, beliefs and myths that you hold as a leader and an entrepreneur.

After all, our business often reflects our own limiting beliefs. But how do you remove those limiting beliefs? Well, along with reading my book, I’ve created a companion workbook that allows you to use the information in the book and the exercises in the workbook to uncover and Extract those limiting beliefs and old mindsets that are keeping you from growing your dental practice organization.   

Define Point B 

You’ve defined where you and your practice are; you’ve uncovered and extracted the obstacles to growth within yourself and your business. Now it’s time to create a vision for your new future. Through the work you’ve just done on your mindset you’ve literally changed the trajectory of your future. Now you must define it!  

Build Your Teams 

In defining your point B you created your Vivid Vision™ which aligns your practice around what you’ve defined as your vision, your point B. One of the first steps in alignment is building or rebuilding your team. You cannot grow and scale your dental practice all by yourself. You need a team that is going to own that vision as much as you do.

My book teaches you how to choose the right people for your organization. It also helps you decide whether people already within your organization are in the right positions or if they would be better suited to a different position. As Jim Collins likes to say, you gotta get the right people on the bus and the right butts in the right seats before you can drive anywhere.  

Create Your Strategic Plan 

You’ve defined your vision and you’ve gotten your dream team assembled. Now it’s time to define your strategic plan. Your strategic plan is your blueprint of execution. This is where you drill down and start to define real-world goals for your teams to execute. These are the goals that will actually move the needle of success in your dental practice.  

Moving from the Dentist’s Chair to the Investor Seat 

This last step in the sequence is solely focused on you, the business leader and investor in your organization. To lead your teams through your goals and strategic plan as well as the accompanying obstacles you will inevitably face, you need to have a growth mindset. And that starts with seeing yourself not only as a dentist, but as an investor in your practice. This step is where you learn to wear different hats as a leader.

Yes, you are a dentist first, but you also need to be nimble enough to know when to stop thinking like a dentist and start thinking like an investor and leader of an organization. There is a lot you don’t learn in dental school and this formula is where you’ll learn exactly what you need to know to grow, scale and even sell your business eventually.  

The Support You Need for Your Dental Practice

As you can see, this formula is a sequence. You need to take the steps in the correct order to receive the full benefit of this formula and ready your business and your mindset for growth. So, now it’s time for you to do some thinking. Are you ready for transformation? Are you ready for growth? Are you ready to liberate yourself from the limiting beliefs that have been stagnating your growth?  

Our experienced consultants are here to help. One of the most effective ways to quickly transform your business as well as your mindset is to schedule a complimentary consulting call with one of our Expert Advisor Consultants. In just 30 minutes, you will gain immediate clarity of your desired point B and begin developing your path to get there.

Click the button to secure your 30-minute consulting call!

Schedule Your Consulting Call

The Power of Authentic Partnership for Your Dental Practice, Part 3: Building Your Culture 

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In your dental practice, culture is king. When I first met Jack Bayramyan, I was skeptical. A dental practice owner, I could tell right away that he was a nice person, but I had no idea what he valued, what his priorities were or the vision he wanted to achieve. However, all that changed during the course of a day.  

What started out as an intro meeting with Jack and bankers about money and investment, eventually turned into a meandering discussion between Jack and I about culture. In the video below, you’ll see, at one point during that pivotal day, Jack asked me aside for a private conversation. I assumed he just wanted to get to know me, so I obliged because I was interested in the same thing.  

Sitting in a room full of bankers or investors, the discussions tend to focus on one thing: money. But Jack was savvy enough to look beyond those discussions and I was curious as well. During that private conversation, I really got to know Jack, the human being. And maybe even more importantly, I got to know how he worked as an entrepreneur.  

In Your Dental Practice Culture Begins with You 

I’m a talker. I love to talk, but I think that is a by-product of my real passion, which is teaching. Teaching requires two fundamental components: talking and listening. So, in my initial private conversation with Jack, I went first. I opened up and spoke from the heart about the things that mattered most to me in my organization, what did I have to lose?  

I spoke about my values, my goals, and most importantly to me, the culture of my company and how it was created. And I’m glad I had the courage to open up and speak on that level to someone I had just met. Turns out, he shared my opinions on those topics and was inspired to speak from the heart as well. We found we had three primary areas of focus when it came to building an organization: 

  • Culture is foundational to a company, no matter how successful or not 
  • Culture is built by the people and teams that use it 
  • Culture is transformed over time by these relationships 

Any organization, whether it is successful or not, is built on the foundation of the culture of the people that work in that organization. You can have a counterproductive culture built on the naked ambition of the people working within that culture. But you can also build an organization on a culture of compassion, open-mindedness and balance. Many times, it is the values of the leader that begin and build that culture. But if you have an absent CEO, or a leader whose values are based in, say, greed, selfishness and a “my way or the highway” attitude, that will be the driving foundation of the culture that is built.  

So, as a dental entrepreneur, if you want a culture that reflects your values, you need to show up and pay attention to your leadership style, your willingness to change and your focus on a growth mindset. If you’re not paying attention to these things, your dental practice’s culture will be formed by the dominant personalities within your organization. That may or may not be a good thing, but it won’t be intentional.  

Who is Going to Drive Your Vision in Your Dental Practice?  

The second area of focus as a leader is learning to pay attention. You may be intentional in the values and tone you set to build that culture, but it will ultimately be your teams living and working within the framework of that culture that will build and expand upon it.  

So, it’s your job to continually observe, listen and speak from an intentional position. You can’t just build the foundation of something and walk away expecting people to just pick it up and run toward the finish line. As a leader in your dental practice, you must pay attention to the tone you set and the tone your teams keep: are they in alignment? And if not, it’s your job to get your teams refocused on the tone and values you’ve set. For us, at OPS this comes in the form of weekly check-ins and a weekly company huddle as well as quarterly meetings keeping us focused on our vision and culture.  

You may have a very clear vision of where you want to take your organization, but if you don’t have buy-in from your team, you won’t get there. And buy-in comes from team members who want to see you, their organization and themselves succeed. If they don’t have hope that they will succeed, if they feel your eye is not on the ball or if they feel they ‘re just clocking into a job with no future for them, they won’t have the cohesion to rise to the level you need to reach your goals. It starts with you.  

Finally, the third focus is learning to stay aware of how culture transforms over time. It is the relationships within your organization that will dictate how this culture changes and adapts as your dental practice grows and expands. How your culture changes and adapts is dependent on the top team members and how they translate your values and vision company wide. 

If you’re not checking in with your leadership teams regularly and mentoring their leadership styles and directives, the culture you meticulously built in the beginning will erode over time and collapse even as your organization expands and grows. That’s where a lot of scaling organizations run off the tracks, because they can’t contain the fallout that permeates the culture through its growth.  

It Always Starts at the Top in Your Dental Practice 

So, whether you’re building the culture, choosing the people who will live in that culture or caring for it over time, it is your attention and focus on the culture staying healthy, nimble and cohesive that will steer the ship toward your vision.  

And this is what I found out during my conversation that day with Jack. He shared that same level of attention to culture that I have. He knows that to reach his vision he needed a healthy, strong cohesive team and he knew that team had to last the distance to eventually reach his vision. By the time we met, he had reached his vision, so he had a roadmap of leadership style. It wasn’t just about our shared values; it was about having the mindset of attention to culture where we found common ground.  

Your Vision for Your Dental Practice 

Authentic partnerships only work when leaders are clear on their own vision. As Jack and I have both experienced, finding your voice as a leader, and having the confidence to stand behind it, is pivotal to scaling successfully and choosing the right partners along the way.

At Optimize Practice Alliance, part of our role is helping dental entrepreneurs clarify that vision and lead from it with intention. Growth mindset, leadership style, and strategic direction all intersect here. Without clarity, even well-intentioned partnerships can drift. With clarity, alignment becomes possible.

That’s why we created the Extraction GPS. This tool helps dental practice owners define what truly matters to them, assess where their practice is today, and map a clear path forward, so every major decision, including partnership, supports the future they want to build.

Your vision should lead the way.

Ready to clarify your vision and guide your practice forward with confidence?
Download the Extraction GPS and start building a roadmap that supports intentional leadership, aligned partnerships, and sustainable growth.

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