Épisodes

  • Special List #23: Partners vs. Associates - What Most Owners Get Wrong with Dr. Adam McClellan
    Jul 9 2026
    Bring a second periodontist into one of your offices and the dentists who send you cases will still ask for you by name. Adam McClellan's fix is counterintuitive — he stops taking new patients at that location entirely, so there's no option to request him, and the incoming doctor inherits those relationships outright.Adam is the CEO of Periodontal Care, a five-location periodontal group he built across the Kansas City metro over a decade through seven acquisitions and mergers — while vetting and passing on seven more. He talks with Cameron, Jason, and Michael about what it actually takes to grow from one practice to five without the whole thing depending on you.He gets specific about how he sizes up a practice before he buys it: staff dynamics and ages, where the cases are coming from, location overlap with offices he already owns, and why a practice built on direct-to-consumer marketing was a hard no for a referral-based group like his.Adam breaks down the meeting cadence that keeps his partners aligned — weekly one-on-ones, a monthly all-partner meeting, and a quarterly retreat where he hands everyone a mandate to tell him exactly what's broken. He's candid about the misses too, like the masterful three-office rollout he and his director of operations crumpled up on day two, and how learning to pivot fast became the skill that scaled the business.Plus the inside-baseball stuff: the clinical “safe word” he shares with his assistants to reset when a surgery gets tense, the “exit code” that rescues him from a room running long, the ruptured Achilles that gave him the downtime to plan his next expansion, and why he tells every dentist he meets to invest in ergonomic loupes.GuestDr. Adam McClellan is a board-certified periodontist and CEO of Periodontal Care, a specialty group with five locations across the Kansas City metro that he built over roughly a decade through seven acquisitions and mergers. Licensed in both Kansas and Missouri, he graduated with top honors from the University of Missouri–Kansas City's dental and periodontal programs, where he earned the American Academy of Periodontology's student achievement award and the Pierre Fauchard Academy's merit award.His clinical focus is hard and soft tissue reconstruction, periodontal microplastic surgery, and the surgical placement of dental implants, and he is certified in LANAP laser therapy through the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry. He founded the Northland Dental Study Club and holds memberships in the American Academy of Periodontology, the American Academy of Osseointegration, and the Midwest Society of Periodontology. He is currently expanding the group's in-house IV sedation services.Learn more about Periodontal Care: periodontalcarepa.comQuestions answered by this episode:How do I grow a dental practice through acquisitions and mergers?What should I look for before acquiring another dental practice?How do I add a partner or associate without losing my referrals?How do I manage multiple doctors across several office locations?How often should dental partners meet to stay aligned?What should happen at a dental partnership retreat?Can AI replace dental front desk and assistant roles?How do I scale a specialty practice without burning out?Why do referred patients wait years before booking with a specialist?Should I delegate operations to a director of operations?About The Special ListsThe Special Lists, presented by Referral Lab, is the podcast for dentists and dental specialists. Running a dental practice isn't easy, and if you're in private practice, it can sometimes feel like you're on an island. That's why finding your people—those who've been in your shoes and can share real, lived experience—changes the game.Referral Lab was built specifically for dental specialists, helping you track, manage, and convert every referral. It's about improving case acceptance, boosting team performance, and strengthening relationships with referring providers so your whole practice runs smarter.This spirit of connection fuels The Special Lists podcast. Hosted by the team behind Referral Lab, we bring you wisdom from practice owners and dental professionals, sharing the wins, mistakes, and lessons that shape how they run their businesses today.Got a question for us? Send us a message at speciallists.com (with two L's)Transform your referral workflow with Referral Lab, the purpose-built platform for dental specialists to track, manage and convert every referral. Request a demo at referrallab.ioHostsCameron FullCo-Founder of Referral LabCameron Full, co-founder of Referral Lab, is a strategic problem-solver with expertise in business management and digital solutions. He combines leadership, creativity, and technology to drive success across various industries.Connect with Cameron on LinkedInJason Souyias, DDSPeriodontist and Co-Founder of Referral LabDr. Jason Souyias is a periodontist, educator, and co-founder of Referral Lab ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    54 min
  • Special List #22: Failing is Growing with Dr. Gregg Kinzer
    Jun 25 2026
    Owning the hardware is not the same as knowing what to do with it. Gregg Kinzer has spent 30 years teaching dentists to think their way through complex cases, and he argues the profession is drifting toward letting the computer do the thinking instead.Gregg is a Seattle prosthodontist, Faculty Chairman at Spear Education, and one of dentistry's most respected educators. He joins Cameron Full and Dr. Michael Seda for a wide conversation about where dental education is headed, what it actually means to practice digitally, and why failure is the part of the job nobody prepares you for.On education, Gregg draws a hard line between teaching and entertaining. A lot of what passes for CE now is show-and-tell, impressive cases a dentist will never replicate in their own operatory. Real learning, he says, happens in small rooms where people get pushed, and in actually reading the literature instead of skimming the conclusions.On technology, he makes the case that a scanner alone doesn't make a practice digital. The real work starts with how you use the data after the scan. He's optimistic about where AI could take treatment planning and clear-eyed about how a bad prompt, or a brand-new material with no long-term studies behind it, can cost you years and real money.On failure, Gregg gets honest about perfectionism. He thinks a profession full of high achievers talked itself into believing every restoration should last forever, and that the harshest environment in the human body guarantees otherwise. The real fix is telling patients the risks before treatment, not explaining them after something breaks.And on the cost of ambition, he doesn't pretend he has it solved. Everything costs something, and every yes is a no somewhere else. The line that stays with you is the question his nine-year-old asked him years ago, the one he still hasn't shaken.GuestDr. Gregg Kinzer is a prosthodontist in Seattle, where he runs a private practice limited to comprehensive restorative and esthetic dentistry alongside his wife, Dr. Jill Kinzer. He serves as Faculty Chairman and Director of Curriculum and Campus Education at Spear Education in Scottsdale, Arizona, and as an Affiliate Assistant Professor in Graduate Prosthodontics at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, where he earned his DDS in 1995 and his prosthodontics certificate and MSD in 1998.He is the sitting President of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry and a recipient of the Seattle Study Club's Saul Schluger Memorial Award for clinical excellence in diagnosis and treatment planning. With Dr. Jeff Rouse, he co-developed the Seattle Protocol for diagnosing and treating airway issues, and he is co-authoring the forthcoming Global Diagnosis II with Dr. Bill Robbins and Dr. Jeff Rouse. He also holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health.Learn more about Dr. Kinzer at Spear Education: speareducation.com/faculty/bio/greggory-kinzerQuestions answered by this episode:Is buying an intraoral scanner enough to make my practice digital?What does it actually mean to run a digital dental practice?Is digital dentistry making clinicians less skilled?How do I choose continuing education that teaches me to think, not just copy techniques?Why is so much dental CE on YouTube and Instagram unreliable?How do I learn to read dental literature instead of just the conclusions?Can AI help with dental treatment planning, and what are the risks?Why shouldn't I use a brand-new dental material right when it launches?Why do dentists blame themselves when a restoration or crown fails?How do I talk to patients about the risk of treatment failure before it happens?About The Special ListsThe Special Lists, presented by Referral Lab, is the podcast for dentists and dental specialists. Running a dental practice isn't easy, and if you're in private practice, it can sometimes feel like you're on an island. That's why finding your people—those who've been in your shoes and can share real, lived experience—changes the game.Referral Lab was built specifically for dental specialists, helping you track, manage, and convert every referral. It's about improving case acceptance, boosting team performance, and strengthening relationships with referring providers so your whole practice runs smarter.This spirit of connection fuels The Special Lists podcast. Hosted by the team behind Referral Lab, we bring you wisdom from practice owners and dental professionals, sharing the wins, mistakes, and lessons that shape how they run their businesses today.Got a question for us? Send us a message at speciallists.com (with two L's)Transform your referral workflow with Referral Lab, the purpose-built platform for dental specialists to track, manage and convert every referral. Request a demo at referrallab.ioHostsCameron FullCo-Founder of Referral LabCameron Full, co-founder of Referral Lab, is a strategic problem-solver with expertise in business management and...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    53 min
  • Special List #21: What I'd Tell My Younger Self After 31 Years in Solo Practice with Dr. Eman Traynor
    Jun 11 2026
    The thing nobody tells you about running your own dental practice is that the anxiety doesn't quiet down — it just gets louder for the first 20 years, and then you look back and realize none of the things you were afraid of actually happened. Eman Traynor knows. She built Traynor Periodontics & Implants from scratch in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1998 and ran it solo for 27 years on a steady drip of stress she now wishes she'd ignored.What follows is her special list: five hard-won lessons from a 31-year periodontics career, the ones she wishes someone had handed her at the start.Leading with embracing risk and failure, she admits anxiety is part of the path, but the path leads somewhere good, and you arrive whether you enjoy the trip or not. Eman didn’t, and that’s the regret she opens with.Walking through operations, she advises systemizing everything because discipline sets you free. Hire one more person than you think you need, because running lean costs more than the salary you saved.Master your data, because you can’t run a business on feel. She names her consultant (Mary Ann Spears), her platform (Referral Lab), and the moment she stopped reacting emotionally to bad days because she finally had the numbers to tell a different story.On technology, her rule is simple: never buy version one. She likes Freed.ai for chairside notes (it learns her words and emails the patient a summary after the consult), but she’s not an early adopter, and that’s by design.She closes with her case for solo practitioners not staying solo in spirit. The five people you spend the most time with shape you. For Eman, those five came from the Seattle Study Club, including her hosts Cameron Full and Dr. Michael Seda. GuestDr. Eman Traynor is the founder and solo periodontist at Traynor Periodontics & Implants in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she has been in private practice for over 27 years. She earned her DMD at Washington University School of Dental Medicine in St. Louis in 1991, completed a general practice residency at Barnes/Jewish Hospital at Washington University Medical Center, and earned her Master of Science in periodontics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995, where her research focused on the link between insulin-dependent diabetes and periodontal disease. Her practice is an affiliate of the Seattle Study Club, and she directs both Traynor Periodontics & Implants Study Club and an affiliated hygiene study club. Born in Egypt and raised between the UK and the US, she built her Greenwich practice from scratch in 1998 and has stayed solo ever since.Learn more about Traynor Periodontics & Implants: tpigreenwich.com.Follow Eman's practice on Instagram @traynorperiodonticsQuestions answered by this episode:1. How do solo dental practitioners deal with anxiety long-term?2. Why do most dentists hold onto employees too long?3. Is it better to over-hire or run lean in a dental practice?4. How do you build standard operating procedures in a dental office?5. What KPIs should periodontists track to grow their practice?6. Should I be the first to adopt new dental technology?7. Does Freed.ai work for chairside dental notes?8. Is the Seattle Study Club worth joining as a solo dental specialist?9. How do you start a solo periodontal practice from scratch?10. What advice would a 30-year periodontist give her younger self?About The Special ListsThe Special Lists, presented by Referral Lab, is the podcast for dentists and dental specialists. Running a dental practice isn't easy, and if you're in private practice, it can sometimes feel like you're on an island. That's why finding your people—those who've been in your shoes and can share real, lived experience—changes the game.Referral Lab was built specifically for dental specialists, helping you track, manage, and convert every referral. It's about improving case acceptance, boosting team performance, and strengthening relationships with referring providers so your whole practice runs smarter.This spirit of connection fuels The Special Lists podcast. Hosted by the team behind Referral Lab, we bring you wisdom from practice owners and dental professionals, sharing the wins, mistakes, and lessons that shape how they run their businesses today.Got a question for us? Send us a message at speciallists.com (with two L's)Transform your referral workflow with Referral Lab, the purpose-built platform for dental specialists to track, manage and convert every referral. Request a demo at referrallab.ioHostsCameron FullCo-Founder of Referral LabCameron Full, co-founder of Referral Lab, is a strategic problem-solver with expertise in business management and digital solutions. He combines leadership, creativity, and technology to drive success across various industries.Connect with Cameron on LinkedInJason Souyias, DDSPeriodontist and Co-Founder of Referral LabDr. Jason Souyias is a periodontist, educator, and co-founder of Referral Lab software. He teaches ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    55 min
  • Special List #20: How Saying No to Endo, Ortho, and Implants Builds a Better Practice with Dr. Andrew Skasko
    May 28 2026
    Andrew Skasko spent a full year working shoulder-to-shoulder with his associate on every procedure, paying him the whole time, before they opened a second location together. That associate is now his partner across multiple practices, with three to four more sites in the pipeline.Skasko is a restorative dentist in New Albany, Ohio, a clinical assistant professor at Ohio State, and a two-decade Seattle Study Club member who's competed on the mainstage at the annual symposium. He joins Cameron, Souyias, and Seda to lay out how he built a restorative-only practice in a profession that pushes every clinician to do everything.The throughline is what Skasko calls the "super dentist trap": clinicians who haven't mastered the basics taking on endo, ortho, and implants because the procedures are sexy and the margins are good. He explains how he built his brand on the opposite premise — stay out of network with insurance, refuse procedures he can't master, and earn the referral network's trust by handing teed-up cases back to the specialists instead of trying to keep them in-house.Mentorship runs through every part of the story. Skasko names the dentists who shaped him (Michael Cohen, Tal Moore, Greg Kinzer, Pat Allen, Ward Smalley) and explains how Seattle Study Club, the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, and Pat Allen's IIDC each pushed him to a different level. He's also direct about what he thinks is broken: academies and corporate models that mentor for bonuses and daily numbers instead of for the patient and the profession.The practice-development thread is where the model gets concrete. Skasko walks through how he turned Dr. Nick Molnar (left-handed, like him) into a clinical partner over a year of supervised reps, then bought into Molnar's father's oral surgery practice and partnered with Dr. Lee, his former assistant turned oral surgeon. The group is now eyeing three to four more sites built on the same template.Plus the closing story about a high-school classmate who thought he was a jerk in math class, then 30 years later came in to have him restore her smile.GuestDr. Andrew Skasko is the founder of Elite Dental and Skasko Smile Design Studio in New Albany, Ohio. He earned his DDS from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry in 2004, opened his comprehensive interdisciplinary practice the following year, and currently serves as a clinical assistant professor in the restorative and prosthodontics division at Ohio State. He is a member of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and has been a member of Seattle Study Club for over 20 years. In January 2023, he was named team lead for Team North America in a treatment planning square-off against Spain at the Seattle Study Club Symposium. Through his mentorship work, he co-founded Molnar and Skasko Family and Cosmetic Dentistry to bring advanced interdisciplinary care to underserved communities.Learn more about Elite Dental and Skasko Smile Design Studio: newalbanyelitedental.com.Follow Andrew on Instagram @drandrewskaskoQuestions answered by this episode:1. How do I build a restorative-only dental practice without taking on endo, ortho, and implants?2. Why should a dental practice stay out of network with insurance?3. How do I turn an associate dentist into a partner?4. What is the role of the restorative dentist in interdisciplinary treatment planning?5. How do I find the right mentors as a dentist?6. What is Seattle Study Club and is it worth joining?7. How do I get into the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry or the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry?8. Should a general dentist place implants or refer them out?9. How do I quarterback a complex restorative case across multiple specialists?10. How do I build a multi-practice dental group through mentorship?About The Special ListsThe Special Lists, presented by Referral Lab, is the podcast for dentists and dental specialists. Running a dental practice isn't easy, and if you're in private practice, it can sometimes feel like you're on an island. That's why finding your people—those who've been in your shoes and can share real, lived experience—changes the game.Referral Lab was built specifically for dental specialists, helping you track, manage, and convert every referral. It's about improving case acceptance, boosting team performance, and strengthening relationships with referring providers so your whole practice runs smarter.This spirit of connection fuels The Special Lists podcast. Hosted by the team behind Referral Lab, we bring you wisdom from practice owners and dental professionals, sharing the wins, mistakes, and lessons that shape how they run their businesses today.Got a question for us? Send us a message at speciallists.com (with two L's)Transform your referral workflow with Referral Lab, the purpose-built platform for ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    44 min
  • Special List #19: The Airway Step Most Cosmetic Cases Are Missing with Dr. Tracey Nguyen
    May 14 2026
    AACD taught Dr. Tracey Nguyen to be good with her hands. The mouth–body connection taught her how to keep that work intact for years.Tracey is a restorative dentist, scientific advisor at the Kois Center, AACD Accredited Member, and co-founder of ASAP Pathway — the first comprehensive online education platform for pediatric airway and sleep dentistry. She joins Cameron, Dr. Seda, and Dr. Souyias to talk about why a beautiful smile won't hold up if you aren't also looking at how the person breathes — and what it takes to shift a profession that's been told for decades that "if you want to be a doctor, go to med school."Tracey shares how she reads ENT and pulmonology journals to inform her restorative work, why she calls the airway conversation "a movement" even though her sleep-physician colleagues think it should be obvious, and what the cosmetic-to-airway pipeline looks like in real practice — from skeletal expansion in adults to airway-driven smile design.AI as a clinical tool gets its own thread: Cameron's Google Scholar Alerts trick for tracking new published research, Dr. Seda using ChatGPT to prep for an orthopedic surgery consult, the patient who used ChatGPT to take a dentist to the board over a denied scaling and root planing claim, and the parent who showed up with an AI-drafted medical-necessity letter Tracey said was so good she'd be using it as a template.Plus the ASAP Pathway origin story: launching in January 2020 with no product, selling 70 seats at $8,000 each, and scrambling to record forty hours of curriculum during lockdown. And LEAD — a women's mastermind in dentistry — and why "men battle to bond, women bond before they battle."GuestDr. Tracey Nguyen runs a private restorative practice in Lansdowne, Virginia, 30 minutes outside Washington, DC. She is an Accredited Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry — one of only five accredited dentists in the state — a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. In 2016, Dental Products Magazine named her one of the Top 25 Women in Dentistry, the same year she completed her training at the Kois Center, where she now serves as Scientific Advisor. She co-founded ASAP Pathway in 2020 — the first comprehensive online education platform for pediatric airway and sleep dentistry — and serves as visiting faculty at Spear Education, mentoring the Airway Workshop alongside Dr. Jeff Rouse.Learn more about ASAP Pathway: asappathway.com.Follow Tracey on Instagram @drtraceynguyenSet up Google Scholar Alerts at scholar.google.com Questions answered by this episode:1. Why doesn't cosmetic dentistry last as long as it should?2. What is airway dentistry and why does it matter for restorative cases?3. How is sleep apnea connected to dental wear and bruxism?4. How can a dentist start reading medical literature outside of dentistry?5. What is ASAP Pathway and who is it for?6. Can AI help me with patient education and case research?7. Should I be using ChatGPT or Open Evidence for clinical literature review?8. What is skeletal expansion in adults and when is it indicated?9. How do I collaborate with sleep physicians and ENTs as a dentist?10. How do dentists start a continuing education company?About The Special ListsThe Special Lists, presented by Referral Lab, is the podcast for dentists and dental specialists. Running a dental practice isn't easy, and if you're in private practice, it can sometimes feel like you're on an island. That's why finding your people—those who've been in your shoes and can share real, lived experience—changes the game.Referral Lab was built specifically for dental specialists, helping you track, manage, and convert every referral. It's about improving case acceptance, boosting team performance, and strengthening relationships with referring providers so your whole practice runs smarter.This spirit of connection fuels The Special Lists podcast. Hosted by the team behind Referral Lab, we bring you wisdom from practice owners and dental professionals, sharing the wins, mistakes, and lessons that shape how they run their businesses today.Got a question for us? Send us a message at speciallists.com (with two L's)Transform your referral workflow with Referral Lab, the purpose-built platform for dental specialists to track, manage and convert every referral. Request a demo at referrallab.ioHostsCameron FullCo-Founder of Referral LabCameron Full, co-founder of Referral Lab, is a strategic problem-solver with expertise in business management and digital solutions. He combines leadership, creativity, and technology to drive success across various industries.Connect with Cameron on LinkedInJason Souyias, DDSPeriodontist and Co-Founder of Referral LabDr. Jason Souyias is a periodontist, educator, and co-founder of Referral Lab software. He teaches dentists and hygienists, including as a Pikos Institute faculty member. In his Port Huron private ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    44 min
  • Special List #18: Why the Biggest Stress in Dentistry Isn’t the Dentistry with Geri Gottlieb
    Apr 30 2026
    Running a dental practice isn't taught in dental school, and most owners learn it the hard way. Practice coach and former periodontal practice co-owner Geri Gottlieb joins the show to share what 30+ years in dentistry — and a humbling jump into ownership herself — taught her about what actually makes a practice work.Geri unpacks why dentistry is a team sport, why culture is anything but soft, and why a culture is whatever you tolerate, not what you write on the wall. She breaks down the character traits of an ideal team player (humble, hungry, emotionally intelligent), why 85% of poor performance is the system and not the human, and why systems aren't restriction — they're the bumpers that free your team to be present with patients.Geri also shares the moment her own team told her she was holding them down, and what it took to finally build the team she'd been preaching about all along.GUESTGeri GottliebFounder & Lead Coach, GG Practice Coaching & DevelopmentGeri Gottlieb has spent more than three decades in the dental industry as a practice manager, co-owner of two large periodontal practices alongside her husband, and now founder and lead coach of GG Practice Coaching & Development.She helps dentists and specialists across the country build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more sustainable businesses. Geri is certified in the Five Behaviors of a Team and DiSC Behavioral Assessments, and previously spent four years as a lead coach with ACT Dental Practice Management. Her philosophy: build a team so strong you don't know who the boss is.Learn more about GG Practice Coaching & DevelopmentConnect with Geri on LinkedInThe Special Lists, presented by Referral Lab, is the podcast for dentists and dental specialists. Running a dental practice isn't easy, and if you're in private practice, it can sometimes feel like you're on an island. That's why finding your people—those who've been in your shoes and can share real, lived experience—changes the game.Referral Lab was built specifically for dental specialists, helping you track, manage, and convert every referral. It's about improving case acceptance, boosting team performance, and strengthening relationships with referring providers so your whole practice runs smarter.This spirit of connection fuels The Special Lists podcast. Hosted by the team behind Referral Lab, we bring you wisdom from practice owners and dental professionals, sharing the wins, mistakes, and lessons that shape how they run their businesses today.Got a question for us? Send us a message at speciallists.comTransform your referral workflow with Referral Lab, the purpose-built platform for dental specialists to track, manage and convert every referral. Request a demo at referrallab.ioCameron FullCo-Founder of Referral LabCameron Full, co-founder of Referral Lab, is a strategic problem-solver with expertise in business management and digital solutions. He combines leadership, creativity, and technology to drive success across various industries.Connect with Cameron on LinkedInJason Souyias, DDSPeriodontist and Co-Founder of Referral LabDr. Jason Souyias is a periodontist, educator, and co-founder of Referral Lab software. He teaches dentists and hygienists, including as a Pikos Institute faculty member. In his Port Huron private practice, he's known for excellent patient communication and experience. He's passionate about his work and dedicated to helping other dentists.More about Port Huron, Michigan periodontist Dr. Jason SouyiasMichael Seda, DMD, MSPeriodontist and Co-Developer of Referral LabA clinician and entrepreneur, Dr. Seda brings 19 years of private practice experience to his periodontal and implant surgery practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Seda's interests are rooted in evaluating and influencing private practice management systems in dentistry. He wants to increase practice efficiency, establish a greater sense of collaboration and trust among practice team members, and enhance quality of care and service delivered—all while maximizing and growing profitability.Through associateship opportunities early in his career, Dr. Seda was exposed to various private practice leadership and business models. He witnessed first-hand inconsistencies in the degree of success and failure owners experienced in private practices. This ignited his passion for learning what empowers practices to thrive and grow successfully while delivering a highly satisfying patient experience. He is particularly interested in using cutting-edge analytics platforms to measure advanced practice metrics. He leverages these to design data-driven strategies to enhance referral patterns, scheduling systems, case acceptance rates, and other key performance indicators that lead to practice growth and patient satisfaction.His education spans several disciplines, including a degree in Psychobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles, a Doctorate degree from Harvard University (DMD)...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    1 h
  • Special List #17: How Structure and Core Values Drive Better Hiring with Dr. Justin Zalewsky
    Mar 26 2026
    Beyond clinical skill, running a successful dental practice requires clear vision, strong systems, and the right people.Periodontist and MAZ Management co-founder Dr. Justin Zalewsky shares the leadership principles that guide his approach, including organizing life into three buckets — work, thinking, and personal time — and using tools like impact filters to keep projects and teams aligned. He explains how core values and structure shape hiring, promotions, and day-to-day decision-making.Justin also addresses the challenges of hiring associates, emphasizing mentorship, clear expectations, and structured onboarding. GUESTJustin Zalewsky, DMDPresident & Co-founder, MAZ ManagementJustin is a board-certified periodontist who has practiced in the Washington, D.C. metro area for more than 15 years. Seven years ago, he co-founded MAZ and began expanding through strategic acquisitions, building a network that now includes three periodontal practices and four general dental offices. Today he leads an organization of more than 80 team members and 15 doctors, supported by a centralized management team that allows him to remain an active clinician while guiding the company’s growth. His leadership focuses on developing strong teams, placing people in roles where they can thrive, and building practices that deliver exceptional patient care.Learn more about MAZ ManagementLearn more about Alexandria periodontist Dr. Justin ZalewskyConnect with Justin on LinkedInThe Special Lists, presented by Referral Lab, is the podcast for dentists and dental specialists.Running a dental practice isn’t easy, and if you’re in private practice, it can sometimes feel like you’re on an island. That’s why finding your people—those who’ve been in your shoes and can share real, lived experience—changes the game.Referral Lab was built specifically for dental specialists, helping you track, manage, and convert every referral. It’s about improving case acceptance, boosting team performance, and strengthening relationships with referring providers so your whole practice runs smarter.This spirit of connection fuels The Special Lists podcast. Hosted by the team behind Referral Lab, we bring you wisdom from practice owners and dental professionals, sharing the wins, mistakes, and lessons that shape how they run their businesses today.Got a question for us? Send us a message at speciallists.com Transform your referral workflow with Referral Lab, the purpose-built platform for dental specialists to track, manage and convert every referral. Request a demo at referrallab.io Cameron FullCo-Founder of Referral LabCameron Full, co-founder of Referral Lab, is a strategic problem-solver with expertise in business management and digital solutions. He combines leadership, creativity, and technology to drive success across various industries.Connect with Cameron on LinkedInJason Souyias, DDSPeriodontist and Co-Founder of Referral LabDr. Jason Souyias is a periodontist, educator, and co-founder of Referral Lab software. He teaches dentists and hygienists, including as a Pikos Institute faculty member. In his Port Huron private practice, he's known for excellent patient communication and experience. He's passionate about his work and dedicated to helping other dentists.More about Port Huron, Michigan periodontist Dr. Jason SouyiasMichael Seda, DMD, MSPeriodontist and Co-Developer of Referral LabA clinician and entrepreneur, Dr. Seda brings 19 years of private practice experience to his periodontal and implant surgery practice in the San Francisco Bay Area.Dr. Seda’s interests are rooted in evaluating and influencing private practice management systems in dentistry. He wants to increase practice efficiency, establish a greater sense of collaboration and trust among practice team members, and enhance quality of care and service delivered—all while maximizing and growing profitability.Through associateship opportunities early in his career, Dr. Seda was exposed to various private practice leadership and business models. He witnessed first-hand inconsistencies in the degree of success and failure owners experienced in private practices. This ignited his passion for learning what empowers practices to thrive and grow successfully while delivering a highly satisfying patient experience. He is particularly interested in using cutting-edge analytics platforms to measure advanced practice metrics. He leverages these to design data-driven strategies to enhance referral patterns, scheduling systems, case acceptance rates, and other key performance indicators that lead to practice growth and patient satisfaction. His education spans several disciplines, including a degree in Psychobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles, a Doctorate degree from Harvard University (DMD), and a Master’s degree in Periodontics and Oral Medicine from Columbia University.More about Bay Area periodontist Dr. Michael SedaFollow Dr. Seda on ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    50 min
  • Special List #16: Long-Game Strategies For Thriving Practices with Dr. David Lee Hill
    Mar 12 2026
    What does it really take to build a dental practice that’s future-proof and not just profitable?Through relentless investment in safety, leadership, and education, oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. David Lee Hill shaped Chapel Hill Oral Surgery into what it is today. From rebuilding his entire facility to meet AAAHC standards, to adopting a dual-provider anesthesia model, to embracing dynamic navigation technology, doing things the hard way early paid off later.Hear why delayed gratification beats shortcuts, how mentorship and continuing education shaped his career, and why having the right leadership team matters more than any single piece of technology. Listen for his takes on anesthesia models, surgical planning, culture, and why perseverance—not perfection—is often the real differentiator between practices that stall and those that thrive.GUESTDavid Lee Hill, JR., DDSCEO, OMS Chapel Hill Oral SurgeryDr. Hill is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, the Academy of Osseointegration, the International Team for Implantology, North Carolina State Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, North Carolina State Dental Association, the American Dental Association, and the American Association of Dental Research.Dr. Hill is an active sportsman, a deep sea fisherman, a cyclist, and an enthusiastic UNC Tar Heel fan. He enjoys spending time with his family, his wife, Olivia, and his son Rémy Oliver (5y/o) and daughter Violette (1.5y/o).Learn more about Chapel Hill Oral SurgeryFollow Dr. Hill’s practice on Instagram @chapelhilloralsurgeryThe Special Lists, presented by Referral Lab, is the podcast for dentists and dental specialists.Running a dental practice isn’t easy, and if you’re in private practice, it can sometimes feel like you’re on an island. That’s why finding your people—those who’ve been in your shoes and can share real, lived experience—changes the game.Referral Lab was built specifically for dental specialists, helping you track, manage, and convert every referral. It’s about improving case acceptance, boosting team performance, and strengthening relationships with referring providers so your whole practice runs smarter.This spirit of connection fuels The Special Lists podcast. Hosted by the team behind Referral Lab, we bring you wisdom from practice owners and dental professionals, sharing the wins, mistakes, and lessons that shape how they run their businesses today.Got a question for us? Send us a message at speciallists.com Transform your referral workflow with Referral Lab, the purpose-built platform for dental specialists to track, manage and convert every referral. Request a demo at referrallab.io Cameron FullCo-Founder of Referral LabCameron Full, co-founder of Referral Lab, is a strategic problem-solver with expertise in business management and digital solutions. He combines leadership, creativity, and technology to drive success across various industries.Connect with Cameron on LinkedInJason Souyias, DDSPeriodontist and Co-Founder of Referral LabDr. Jason Souyias is a periodontist, educator, and co-founder of Referral Lab software. He teaches dentists and hygienists, including as a Pikos Institute faculty member. In his Port Huron private practice, he's known for excellent patient communication and experience. He's passionate about his work and dedicated to helping other dentists.More about Port Huron, Michigan periodontist Dr. Jason SouyiasMichael Seda, DMD, MSPeriodontist and Co-Developer of Referral LabA clinician and entrepreneur, Dr. Seda brings 19 years of private practice experience to his periodontal and implant surgery practice in the San Francisco Bay Area.Dr. Seda’s interests are rooted in evaluating and influencing private practice management systems in dentistry. He wants to increase practice efficiency, establish a greater sense of collaboration and trust among practice team members, and enhance quality of care and service delivered—all while maximizing and growing profitability.Through associateship opportunities early in his career, Dr. Seda was exposed to various private practice leadership and business models. He witnessed first-hand inconsistencies in the degree of success and failure owners experienced in private practices. This ignited his passion for learning what empowers practices to thrive and grow successfully while delivering a highly satisfying patient experience. He is particularly interested in using cutting-edge analytics platforms to measure advanced practice metrics. He leverages these to design data-driven strategies to enhance referral patterns, scheduling systems, case acceptance rates, and other key performance indicators that lead to practice growth and patient satisfaction. His education spans several disciplines, including a degree in Psychobiology from ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    49 min