Coverage
Dental
The practice-owner conversation in dentistry. What dentists and their advisors are saying about patients, staffing, and the business of the practice.
Refreshed nightly · readings through July 27, 2026
What the Dental conversation reads like
Sentiment across the five topics we score, measured only on dental shows. Trailing 30 days against the same window a quarter ago; thin cuts fall back to a 90-day read.
Future Outlook
77.8
Economy
45.6
Industry Forecast
53.3
AI
54.4
Innovation
71.7
Future Outlook
12-mo avg 80.0 · points from average
Economy
12-mo avg 46.4 · points from average
Industry Forecast
12-mo avg 58.3 · points from average
AI
12-mo avg 56.1 · points from average
Innovation
12-mo avg 75.2 · points from average
Each topic against its own 12-month average (the zero line), within dental shows only. Above means the conversation is running hotter than normal for that topic; below, cooler.
Latest in Dental
newest across the tracked shows
Jul 24, 2026
You Don't Have to Do This Alone [Special Episode]
This special episode features pre-recorded testimonials from five Bulletproof Dental Practice mastermind members sharing their transformational experiences. Members discuss how joining the community helped them shift from survival-mode practice ownership to building fulfilling businesses aligned with their personal values, covering themes of leadership development, delegation, community support, and achieving both financial success and life fulfillment. Peter and Craig respond emotionally to each story, reflecting on how their members did the actual work and highlighting the importance of finding authentic community in dental practice ownership.
The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
Jul 24, 2026
2560: Courageous Conversations That Build Better Practices
Catherine Tinsley Belt, dentistry's leadership communications coach with 35 years of experience, discusses her framework for courageous conversations that help dental practice leaders raise standards, resolve conflicts, and build high-performing teams. Drawing from her own transformative experience as a chairside dental assistant, she shares the three-conversation hierarchy—invitation, coaching, and courageous conversations—and the ARCH framework for conducting difficult conversations with accountability and compassion. Her upcoming book, Lead Yourself, Lead Your Team, provides practical guidance on internal leadership development before engaging others.
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Jul 24, 2026
Very Dental: The Truth About "Printed Ceramics" & AI Design with Damien Bonner
Damien Bonner from Cadre Dental discusses Shining 3D's latest dental technology, including the newly released Elf intraoral scanner and Ceramix Nano restorative 3D printer. The conversation covers the differences between ceramic printing systems, material composition and limitations, AI-assisted crown design, and the evolving landscape of chairside restorative dentistry. Bonner addresses pricing, workflow integration, and how these new tools compare to traditional milling and lab workflows.
The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
Jul 23, 2026
2559: The Lease Mistakes That Can Sink Your Dental Practice
Eric Pook, owner of Sirius Consulting Group, discusses common and costly mistakes dentists make when negotiating office leases. He covers critical issues including lease term length, renewal options, assignment clauses, tenant improvement allowances, and personal guarantees—explaining how these elements can impact practice valuation, sale ability, and long-term financial health. The episode emphasizes the importance of professional lease review and advance planning, particularly for mid-career practitioners and those approaching practice transitions.
Jul 23, 2026
Short Staffed? Here's What to Do
Dr. Paul Eason, a practicing dentist and dental business coach, addresses the common challenge of staffing shortages in dental practices. He argues that waiting to hire before improving systems actually perpetuates a cycle of burnout and turnover, and instead recommends practice owners communicate transparently with their teams, fix one recurring operational frustration, and prioritize training as a retention strategy. The episode provides tactical guidance on weathering staffing challenges while building systematized, functional practices.
The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
Jul 22, 2026
2558: How to Find Opportunity in an Uncertain Real Estate Market
Jacob Vanderslice, co-founder of Van West Partners, discusses self-storage real estate investment as an alternative asset class for wealth diversification. He covers his 20-year journey from firefighter to real estate investor, explains why self-storage offers downside protection and inflation hedging compared to stocks, and details Van West's acquisition and value-creation strategy across 42 properties with 21,000 units. The conversation explores due diligence processes, tax advantages including depreciation and cost segregation, typical return targets (mid-teens IRR, 2X multiples over 5-6 years), and why real estate should be a component of diversified portfolios in uncertain economic times.
Need this cut deeper?
Term-level trends, competitor mentions, and custom segments within the dental conversation are available as custom research. See the Conversation Index or get in touch.