The Patient Experience Blueprint

Hosted by Intiveo

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Oct 2026

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Welcome to The Patient Experience Blueprint, the podcast where we dive into the dynamic world of dentistry and technology. Join Intiveo as we have engaging discussions with experts, dental professionals, and industry leaders who share their insights on the latest trends and innovations in the field. Don't miss an episode – subscribe now and stay informed about the future of dental care.

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39 recent

October 20, 202619 min

From System of Record to System of Intelligence

Ophir Tanz founded Pearl in 2019, drawing on his background in computer vision to explore how AI can be applied to dentistry. In this episode, he discusses AI’s role in dental diagnostics and its potential applications across clinical and administrative workflows. Tanz explains why AI should support, rather than replace, clinical judgment, how clinicians can approach false positives, and why workflow integration and training matter when adopting new technology. He also discusses how clinical and operational data can help practices identify gaps in care, understand performance across locations, and spot administrative inefficiencies. Looking ahead, he considers how AI could help practices move beyond digitizing information toward a better understanding of what is happening across their operations. Before founding Pearl, Tanz founded and led GumGum, a computer vision company focused on digital media and advertising. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in information systems from Carnegie Mellon University. IN THIS EPISODE How AI can support the patient experience across scheduling, diagnostics, documentation, and billing Why Pearl positions its radiographic AI as a second opinion for clinicians How to approach false positives and the importance of clinician judgment Why workflow integration and training matter when adopting AI How practices and dental groups can use clinical and operational data to identify gaps and inefficiencies The shift from digitizing practice data to using AI to understand it and act on it ABOUT OPHIR TANZ Ophir Tanz is the founder and CEO of Pearl, a dental AI company founded in 2019. Pearl’s Second Opinion software received FDA clearance in 2022 as a radiologic detection aid for dental X-rays. Before Pearl, Tanz founded GumGum, which applied AI to web advertising. He says he has been commercializing computer vision for about two decades. CONNECT WITH OPHIR TANZ Website: https://hellopearl.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ophirtanz/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pearl.ai The Pearl Oral Health Index: https://hellopearl.com/oral-health-index ABOUT THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE BLUEPRINT The Patient Experience Blueprint is brought to you by Intiveo, a patient engagement software platform helping dental practices enhance the patient experience. Hosted by Josh DeVries, CEO of Intiveo, the podcast features conversations with dental professionals, industry experts, and leaders exploring the trends and innovations shaping the future of dental care. Intiveo helps more than 3,000 dental practices across North America strengthen patient relationships and streamline communication through solutions including two-way communication, recall reminders, voice, surveys, and reputation management. Learn more at intiveo.com. Connect with Intiveo: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intiveo-software/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intiveo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intiveo_software 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Take a product tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Intiveo is designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust.

September 18, 202643 min

One Practice, Every Specialist: Rethinking the Implant Referral

Dr. Effie Habsha's practice handles prosthodontics, oral surgery, and imaging in one location. In this episode, she explains how that model developed and what changed for referring dentists and patients as a result. Dr. Habsha describes a visit to a clinic in Portugal run by Paulo Malo. She names this visit as the reason she and her colleagues pursued additional surgical training and began managing surgical cases themselves rather than referring out. She also discusses her practice's use of AI tools for clinical note transcription, her practice of calling lab technicians when a case goes well rather than only when something's wrong, and the founding of Women in Dentistry — an organization she started in 2010 with a single evening lecture for 30–40 referring dentists, which has since grown to include an annual symposium in Toronto, additional events in Scottsdale, a planned 2027 addition in Vancouver, and chapters as far as Tel Aviv. Dr. Effie Habsha trained under implant dentistry researcher Dr. George Zarb, works with dental residents at Mount Sinai Hospital, and teaches undergraduate and graduate prosthodontics at the University of Toronto. She holds an adjunct assistant professor appointment at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health at the University of Rochester and is resident faculty at Spear Education. In this episode, we discuss: Why Habsha's practice added periodontics, oral surgery, and imaging in-house instead of referring out The clinic visit in Portugal she names as the reason for that change Her practice's use of AI for clinical note transcription Her practice of calling lab technicians when a case goes well, not just when something's wrong How Women in Dentistry started as a single 2010 lecture and grew to include events in Toronto, Scottsdale, and a planned Vancouver addition in 2027. CONNECT WITH EFFIE HABSHA Website: https://www.buildyoursmile.com/ Women in Dentistry: http://womenindentistry.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/effiehabsha and https://www.instagram.com/womenindentistry ABOUT THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE BLUEPRINT The Patient Experience Blueprint is brought to you by Intiveo, a patient engagement software platform helping dental practices enhance the patient experience. Hosted by Josh DeVries, CEO of Intiveo, the podcast features conversations with dental professionals, industry experts, and leaders exploring the trends and innovations shaping the future of dental care. Intiveo helps more than 3,000 dental practices across North America strengthen patient relationships and streamline communication through solutions including two-way communication, recall reminders, voice, surveys, and reputation management. Learn more at intiveo.com. 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Take a product tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Intiveo is designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust. Connect with Intiveo: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intiveo-software/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intiveo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intiveo_software

August 12, 202635 min

The Culture Behind Exceptional Patient Experiences

Case acceptance rises or falls long before a treatment plan gets presented. The conversations teams have, the way leaders respond to mistakes, and the culture they create all influence how patients experience care. Allison Lacoursiere has seen how small shifts in communication and leadership can change the way practices operate. She shares why avoiding treatment conversations out of fear of being “salesy” can be a disservice to patients, how making clear aligners a standard part of every conversation helped one practice double production, and what it takes to build a practice culture that can outlast its founder. Allison is a dental coach and consultant and the founder of Clear Coaching. She began her career as a dental assistant before moving into orthodontic assisting and practice management. Today, she works with dental teams on treatment presentation, case acceptance, team performance, and practice operations. She is an Align Technology faculty member, founder of Women in Digital Dentistry, an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC), and a graduate of iPEC’s coaching certification program. In this episode, we discuss: ◼ Why avoiding treatment conversations out of fear of being “pushy” can be a disservice to patients ◼ How making clear aligners a standard part of every conversation helped one practice double production ◼ Why Allison believes practice success comes down to people, not just systems ◼ The “humans first, professionals second” approach and how it applies to practice teams ◼ The mistake-handling protocol that helps teams create a culture where people feel safe being honest ◼ Allison’s story about stepping back from Women in Digital Dentistry to bring on a CEO, and what “the who, not the how” means for founders CONNECT WITH ALLISON LACOURSIERE Website: allisonlacoursiere.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/allison-lacoursiere-32789680 Women in Digital Dentistry: allisonlacoursiere.com/widd Women in Digital Dentistry Podcast: Apple Podcasts Instagram: @allison.lacoursiere ABOUT THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE BLUEPRINT The Patient Experience Blueprint is brought to you by Intiveo, a patient engagement software platform helping dental practices enhance the patient experience. Hosted by Josh DeVries, CEO of Intiveo, the podcast features conversations with dental professionals, industry experts, and leaders exploring the trends and innovations shaping the future of dental care. Intiveo helps more than 3,000 dental practices across North America strengthen patient relationships and streamline communication through solutions including two-way communication, recall reminders, voice, surveys, and reputation management. Connect with Intiveo: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/intiveo-software Facebook: facebook.com/intiveo Instagram: instagram.com/intiveo_software 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Product Tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Intiveo is designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust.

July 21, 202639 min

Unfair Care: How Dentists and Patients Can Fix a Rigged System

Dr. Bryan Laskin has spent over 20 years as a practicing dentist, co-founded two dental tech companies, leads the Dental Standards Institute, and has written three best-selling books on improving healthcare. His latest, Unfair Care, started with a personal experience navigating the system for his wife — and turned into a call to action for every patient and clinician who has ever felt powerless inside it. If you've ever felt like the system is working against you — as a clinician or a patient — this episode is for you. What we cover: Why insurance is quietly making clinical decisions that should belong to dentists. The inlay vs. crown problem — and what it reveals about how dentists are being influenced. Why dentistry isn't expensive, but is very bad at creating value. How making patients feel cared for solves the profitability problem entirely. Why it's easier to lie in Excel than Word — and what that means for dental practice management. The real reason AI receptionists are the wrong conversation to be having. Why dentistry's competition isn't the practice next door. How a small percentage of dentists and patients demanding better could flip the entire system. Connect with Bryan Laskin: Website: bryanlaskin.com Toothapps: toothapps.com Book: Unfair Care — available on Amazon 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Take a product tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust.

June 16, 20261 hr 1 min

Connection Before Case Acceptance with Gary Takacs

Gary Takacs has been in dental consulting since before most of his clients graduated dental school. He created the first dental podcast in 2011, has visited over 2,200 practices across all 50 states, and has spent decades watching the same pattern play out: practices that struggle with case acceptance are usually struggling with something that comes before it. That something is connection. This episode gets into what building it actually looks like. What we cover: Why dental school teaches treatment presentation backwards — and what to lead with instead. The protocol that helps patients see their teeth in a way they never have before. The one question to ask before presenting any treatment plan. The three categories of case acceptance and the benchmarks Gary holds his clients to. How 60% of high-value case acceptance comes from existing patients in hygiene, not new patient consultations. Why the treatment coordinator role is disappearing, and why that's a mistake. Team empowerment and a $200 decision-making threshold that changed one owner's quality of life. The case for dentistry as life-saving, and a $12 book that will surface these important conversations in your waiting room. Connect with Gary Takacs: Thriving Dentist Show: search wherever you listen to podcasts Less Insurance Dependence Podcast: search wherever you listen to podcasts Top 10 Practice: https://www.top10practice.com Book recommendation: Beat the Heart Attack Gene by Bradley Bale MD 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Take a product tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust.

May 19, 202632 min

Serving the Patients Most Practices Can't

What does it take to get a patient into the chair when fear has kept them away for years? In this episode of The Patient Experience Blueprint, host Josh DeVries sits down with Dr. Neal Johnson — a board-certified dental anesthesiologist, founder and CEO of UIS Health, and host of the SMILES & AI podcast. Dr. Johnson has spent his career serving the patients most practices struggle to treat, and he's built the tools, technology, and training to help the rest of dentistry catch up. What we cover: How dental anesthesiologists work alongside practices to serve some of the most complex and anxious patients in dentistry What the patient journey around sedation looks like from the first conversation to the chair How AI and technology are changing the way practices build patient trust and case acceptance Why patient communication before and after a sedation appointment is just as important as what happens in the chair What every dentist working with anxious or complex patients should understand about sedation, whether they're administering it themselves or not Connect with Dr. Neal Johnson: SMILES & AI with Dr. Neal Johnson on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SMILESAIwithDr.NealJohnsonPodc UIS Health (Unified Intelligent System): https://uishealth.com/ SmileSphere Academy — a subscription platform for practices to access and white-label patient education videos, including a pediatric library: https://www.smilesphereacademy.com The Efficiency Catalyst: https://www.theefficiencycatalyst.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nealjohnsondds/ 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Take a product tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust.

April 21, 202644 min

Care More, Make More: The Business Case for Patient-Centered Dentistry

What if the biggest barrier to better patient care wasn't clinical skill – it was the fact that your software can't talk to anyone else's? In this episode of The Patient Experience Blueprint, host Josh DeVries sits down with Dr. Bryan Laskin, a Minnesota-based dentist, Co-Founder and CEO Toothapps and Cair, and Chair of the Dental Standards Institute. Dr. Laskin has spent decades building technology and standards that connect dentistry to the broader healthcare ecosystem – and he's just getting started. What we cover: Why patients care about convenience above everything else – and what that actually means for how you run your practice The Google review that changed the way Dr. Laskin thinks about the patient experience How to build systems that make patients feel cared for without relying solely on individual charisma Why the lack of data standards in dentistry is the biggest public health crisis you've never heard of Why oral health data connected to overall health records isn't just convenient — it's life-saving Connect with Dr. Bryan Laskin: The Bryan Laskin Podcast on YouTube Website: https://bryanlaskin.com/ Toothapps: https://www.toothapps.com/ If you want to get involved in dental standards go to dentalstandards.org to have a say. Cair app: https://cair.net/ Book: https://unfaircare.com/ 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Take a product tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust.

March 30, 202635 min

Strategy First: How to Build a Practice That Works for You with Dr. Todd Snyder

What if the key to a better practice wasn't seeing more patients, but being more intentional about the ones you do see? In this episode of The Patient Experience Blueprint, host Josh DeVries sits down with Dr. Todd Snyder, a cosmetic and restorative dentist, lecturer, inventor, and founder of the Legion education platform. Dr. Snyder has been in practice for 32 years and runs two private offices built around one core belief: strategy matters more than volume. What we cover: Getting clear on your strategy is the single most important thing you can do for your practice How to build an online presence that attracts the patients you actually want Why the patient experience begins long before they walk through your door The common mistake dentists make when adopting new technology – and the simple fix Why sometimes the best move is doing the opposite of what everyone else in your area is doing The mindset shift that helps you stop reacting to your schedule and start leading your practice What inspired Dr. Snyder to build Legion and how it helps dentists implement what they learn Why genuine human connection is one of the most underused tools in dentistry today Connect with Dr. Todd Snyder: Website: DrToddSnyder.com Legion Education Platform: LEGIONdentist.com Practices: AestheticDentalDesigns.com | ConciergeCosmeticDentistry.com Podcast: Delusional: Winning the Weekly War of Dentistry – available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Take a product tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust.

March 17, 202636 min

What Separates Great Dental Practices from Average Ones

Trust isn't something you can script. But it is something you can build — deliberately, consistently, and at every single touchpoint. In this episode, Josh DeVries sits down with Dr. Mark Costes, founder of the Dental Success Institute, co-founder and CEO of the Dental Success Network, and host of the Dentalpreneur Podcast. With 16 practices built or acquired across California and Arizona, an international keynote career spanning 80 cities a year, and a nonprofit — Smile Outreach International — delivering an estimated $2 million in charitable dentistry across seven countries this year, Mark brings hard-won perspective on what it actually takes to build a practice that thrives. What we cover: Why the best clinicians aren't always the most successful practice owners — and what the missing skill actually is The patient touchpoint framework: 8–10 intentional moments that define how patients feel about your practice How to train your team to build trust consistently — even when you're not in the room The attrition problem: why tracking new patients without tracking lapsed ones is leaving money and relationships on the table How to reactivate patients who haven't gone anywhere — they've just been forgotten If you're a practice owner, office manager, or clinician who knows the clinical side is solid but something in the patient experience isn't landing, this episode gives you the language, the framework, and the mindset shift to fix it. Connect with Dr. Mark Costes: Website (Dental Success Institute): https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dentalpreneur Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@markcostes/podcasts Dr. Mark Costes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@markcostes Dental Success Network: https://dentalsuccessnetwork.com Book – Pillars of Dental Success: Available on Amazon and Indigo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-costes-dds/ Instagram & TikTok: Search Dr. Mark Costes Books Mentioned: Unreasonable Hospitality – Will Guidara Delivering Happiness – Tony Hsieh 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Take a product tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust.

March 5, 20261 hr 8 min

Uncomplicate to Accumulate: Why Subtraction Is the Real Growth Strategy with Dr. Howard Farran

Most dental practices aren't failing because of a lack of patients or marketing. They're failing because complexity got baked in early – and no one stopped to ask why. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Howard Farran, founder of Dentaltown.com, and author of Uncomplicate Business. With nearly 40 years in dentistry and a platform that reaches hundreds of thousands of dental professionals, Howard brings his signature candor to the questions every practice owner should be asking but isn't. What we cover: Why growth doesn't create chaos – it just reveals the chaos that was already there How AI is about to do in 20 years what the Industrial Revolution took 200 years to accomplish How phone conversion – not marketing – is the fastest way to double a practice Why making an exception three times means you have a broken system, not a compassionate one Fraud prevention in dentistry: why 25% of dentists are stolen from and how to protect yourself The owner-carry model for selling a practice and why it beats a DSO buyout Revenue per location vs. number of locations: the metric that actually matters From the danger of confusing busyness with productivity to the case for building a lean, high-margin single-location practice, Howard challenges dentists to stop multiplying chaos and start engineering clarity. If you're a dentist, practice owner, or operator who suspects your systems are working against you, this episode is the honest gut-check you've been waiting for. Connect with Dr. Howard Farran: Ask Howard questions directly on Dentaltown.com Book: Uncomplicate Business – Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Audible YouTube: Dentaltown’s “Dentistry Uncensored with Howard Farran” podcast LinkedIn: Howard Farran 🦷 Curious about Intiveo? Book a demo: https://bit.ly/3TgRst0 Take a product tour: https://hubs.la/Q04qz_V70 Designed for dental practices to simplify communication, reduce manual work and create positive patient experiences that reinforce trust.