The Savvy Dentist

Hosted by Dr Jesse Green

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550

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May 2026

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About the show

Create a dental practice and a business life you love with Dr Jesse Green as he interviews successful dentists, entrepreneurs and athletes . Listen in as guests share their stories, ideas and business techniques that you can take back to your practice to have more patients, more profit and less stress. This is the podcast where great dentistry meets great business. For more free resources visit https://savvydentist.com/

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May 26, 202611 min

550. Why Patient Retention Is Your Most Powerful Dental Wealth Strategy

What if the biggest growth opportunity in your dental practice isn't more new patients - it's the ones who are quietly slipping away? In this episode of The Savvy Dentist Podcast, Jesse makes a compelling case that patient retention isn't a marketing strategy, it's a wealth strategy. And the numbers, as Jesse lays them out, are genuinely confronting.Most practice owners are so focused on filling the front door that they haven't noticed the back door is wide open. Jesse breaks down exactly what that's costing you in real dollar terms, shares the story of a practice that turned a leaky bucket into a wealth machine, and gives you the systems and thinking you need to get your retention rate where it belongs. If you're serious about dental leadership and building a practice that sustains you financially for the long haul, this one is essential listening.In This Episode:00:38 The story of a Brisbane practice and the staggering number of patients it lost over seven years02:00 Jesse runs the numbers on a typical practice and reveals just how much revenue is quietly walking out the door each year02:35 The invisible ways practices lose patients that most owners never even notice03:26 The fix isn't complicated, but it does require something most practices are missing04:55 The story of a practice that was spending $5,000 a month on ads - and still going backwards05:35 What an audit of the recall system revealed, and the gaps that were quietly draining the practice dry06:10 What happened when the systems were tightened up07:09 Why your patient base is your most powerful financial asset, and what's really standing in the way of it being managed properly08:42 Jesse invokes a famous business thinker to settle the debate on whether retention actually matters.Links & Resources:Join the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

May 19, 202611 min

549. The Financial Resilience System Every Dental Practice Owner Needs

What happens to your dental practice when life throws you a curveball? Not a minor inconvenience - a genuine crisis. Health problems, family emergencies, the kind of stuff that stops you in your tracks. For most practice owners, that's the moment they discover whether their business is a life raft or a dead weight. And the difference, as Jesse shares in this episode, comes down to what you built before the storm hit.Dental practice financial resilience isn't just about having a rainy day fund. It's about systems - the ones that keep running when you can't. In this episode, Jesse unpacks a real story from a friend who nearly lost it all, breaks down the gaps that almost sank them, and shares practical strategies for price-shopping calls, economic downturns, and reclaiming your agency as a practice owner.In This Episode:00:44 Why one practice owner's personal crisis became the ultimate stress test for their business01:16 The four financial systems that kept the wheels turning when the owner couldn't show up01:53 The slow leaks hiding in your practice right now that aren't screaming for attention02:44 Why price-shopping phone calls are actually buying signals, and how your reception team might be misreading them03:06 The difference between a script and a framework04:06 How to handle the "how much is a crown?" call in a way that books appointments instead of losing them06:38 What practising through recessions, the GFC, and COVID has taught Jesse about financial resilience07:29 The danger of dental Facebook groups during tough economic times08:25 Why your business results are more within your control than you think — and the skills you need to start building now.Links & Resources:Episode 548 — The Four Financial Systems for Dental Practices Join the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

May 12, 202616 min

548. The Four Financial Systems to Build Real Dental Practice Wealth

Most dental practice owners are exceptional clinicians. They've invested years and significant money mastering their craft, but when it comes to the business side of the practice? That can be a very different story. In this episode of the Savvy Dentist Podcast, Jesse Green makes the case that running a successful practice isn't about finding the easy button - it's about doing the hard work to master the systems that actually build dental practice wealth.Jesse unpacks why so many practice owners stay stuck, and what it really takes to move from financially reactive to financially bulletproof. If you've ever wondered whether your money is working as hard as you are, this one's for you.In this episode:00:44 Why most practice owners have mastered their clinical skills but are leaving serious money on the table when it comes to business01:07 The tennis vs pickleball analogy02:49 The first of four essential financial systems Jesse says every practice owner must have04:09 Why one popular book changed the way practice owners think about money management - and how to apply it in a dental context05:20 What a practice dashboard actually needs to show you07:00 The fourth financial system that ties everything together08:54 A cautionary tale about smart people who lost $100,000 looking for a shortcut11:05 Rachel's Q&A: Jesse walks through a step-by-step framework for working out exactly how much wealth you need to build — and how to reverse engineer it into your practice financials.Links & ResourcesProfit First by Mike MichalowiczJoin the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

May 5, 202640 min

547. REPUBLISH: How To Scale Up Successfully with Verne Harnish

In this episode, I chat with Verne Harnish. Verne is the founder of the world-renowned Entrepreneurs' Organisation (EO), with over 11,000 members worldwide. He is also the founder and CEO of Gazelles, a global executive education and coaching company with over 180 partners on six continents. Verne has spent the past three decades helping companies scale up.In today’s episode, we chat about:The 4 key elements that determine why some businesses make it and others failWhy you should never make a decision aloneWays dentists can compete and scale in a competitive marketExpert customer service tipsFinding ways to scale when you love your own craftWhy you need a daily huddle.Links & ResourcesJoin the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

April 28, 20267 min

546. Use It or Lose It: The Scalable Growth System Every Dental Practice Owner Needs to Know

You could be doing everything right - attracting new patients, retaining your existing ones, investing in your team - and still be quietly bleeding your practice dry. How? By failing to manage capacity. In this episode, Jesse Green unpacks one of the most overlooked principles in dental practice growth: use it or lose it.It sounds simple, but the implications for dental leadership are significant. If your practice can't adequately serve the patients you've worked so hard to attract, those patients won't make a scene - they'll just drift away. Silently. And by the time you realise what's happened, you won't have the patient base you thought you had to support your next stage of growth.In this episode:00:01 Jesse shares the neighbour's story who sparked today's lesson00:29 The surprising way patient numbers naturally self-regulate when a practice runs out of capacity01:50 Why adding chairs, clinicians, and equipment has to happen before you think you need it02:30 The quiet churn problem02:52 What a scalable unit actually looks like in a dental practice03:42 How to time your capacity decisions so you're growing into space, not scrambling to fill it04:20 The 80% rule04:44 When there's no room to expand physically, what smart practice owners do instead05:00 What happens when capacity planning comes too late05:38 The core lesson Jesse wants every practice owner to walk away with today.In this episode:Join the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

April 21, 202610 min

545. Landmines in Your Practice: A Risk Framework for Protecting Your Practice's Future

What's lurking just beneath the surface of your dental practice right now? You might not be able to see it, but that doesn't mean it isn't there - just waiting for the moment you step on it. Jesse Green calls these your practice landmines, and every practice owner has them, whether they know it or not.In this episode, Jesse unpacks a practical, three-step dental leadership framework for getting serious about risk - not to make you paranoid, but to make you powerful. Because understanding where your hidden vulnerabilities lie is one of the most valuable things you can do for your practice, both for your day-to-day sanity and for the long-term value of everything you've worked so hard to build.In This Episode:00:00 Jesse kicks off with an unforgettable dog walking story, and why it's the perfect metaphor for what's hiding in your practice right now01:25 Why covering up a problem doesn't make it go away02:24 The surprising range of landmines that could be lurking in your practice03:19 Jesse's three-part risk framework, and why this is the one time he'll actually ask you to think like a pessimist04:32 The risk matrix explained - and how to use it to rank your vulnerabilities before they rank you05:42 The surprising link between managing risk and increasing the value of your practice - this will change how you think about risk forever06:36 Q&A: a question from Sarah in Perth who's exhausted and wondering if practice ownership is really worth it - Jesse's honest answer might be exactly what you need to hear.Links & Resources:Episode 544 - The Recovery ParadoxEpisode 534 - The Anatomy of a Successful Exit with Michael FilosiJoin the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

April 14, 20268 min

544. The Recovery Paradox: The secret that turns Complaints into Loyalty

What if the worst moment in your practice could become your most powerful marketing tool? Most dentists pour energy into attracting new patients, but Jesse Green makes a compelling case that the real loyalty-building gold is already sitting inside your four walls - and it shows up every time something goes wrong.In this episode, Jesse unpacks the Recovery Paradox: the counterintuitive truth that how you handle a problem can actually generate more patient loyalty than if no problem had ever occurred. Through a candid story from his own practice and a real patient named Colin, Jesse shows what dental leadership looks like when it matters most - and why mastering complaint handling could be the single biggest growth lever in your business.In This Episode:00:01 Jesse reframes everything you think you know about patient loyalty00:18 The surprising science behind the Recovery Paradox and why a well-handled problem can outperform a perfect experience00:40 Why the best marketing in your practice might have nothing to do with your ad spend or social media strategy00:55 The hotel story that perfectly illustrates what going above and beyond actually looks like in practice01:28 The real-life patient complaint that put Jesse's own dental leadership to the test - and what he said in the heat of the moment02:24 The exact words Jesse used with an angry patient that changed everything, and why he didn't try to defend the indefensible03:14 What happened when Colin called back - and the Friday afternoon that turned a lost patient into a loyal advocate05:13 Tom from Sydney asks how to grow his patient base and Jesse breaks down the three R's of marketing that every practice owner needs to hear.Links & ResourcesEpisode 543 - The Necessary ConversationJoin the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

April 7, 202612 min

543. The Necessary Conversation: How to prepare and facilitate it

There's someone on your team right now you know you need to talk to. You've been putting it off, maybe you're worried they'll get emotional, maybe you think they'll quit, or maybe you just don't know how to say it without the whole thing blowing up. Here's the truth about dental leadership: the necessary conversation you keep avoiding is the one that's quietly running your practice.In this episode, Jesse Green gets into the mechanics of what he calls the Necessary Conversation - a powerful framework that gives you structure, language, and emotional preparation to tackle the tricky team talks that most practice owners sidestep. Whether you've got a performance issue festering, a culture problem compounding, or you're just not sure how to address what you're seeing, this episode hands you the tools to walk in calm and come out with a genuine path forward.In this Episode:00:35 Why most practice owners avoid the hard conversation, and the hidden cost that keeps compounding the longer you wait01:11 The three parameters that determine whether a team conversation succeeds or falls apart before it even gets going01:56 The emotional preparation step most leaders skip entirely, and why skipping it can derail everything in the first two minutes02:32 How to set the frame for a conversation so you stay in control from the opening line03:00 The listening move that changes the whole dynamic03:34 When to share your perspective and how to bring both parties to an agreed pathway forward without it turning into an ultimatum04:53 The post-it note tactic Jesse used in one of the toughest necessary conversations of his career06:31 What to do when the conversation makes you wonder if you hired the right person in the first place08:35 Q&A - Priya asks why her team just won't do the job - Jesse's answer reframes the whole problem with three specific gaps.Links & ResourcesEpisode 542 - Stop Guessing, Start CommunicatingJoin the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

March 31, 202611 min

542. Stop Guessing, Start Communicating

What if the biggest problem in your practice isn't your marketing, your systems, or even your team - but the way you're communicating with them? In this episode, Jesse Green cuts straight to the chase: communication breakdown is not a people problem. It's a system problem. And that means it's fixable.If you've ever felt frustrated that things aren't being done the way you envisioned, or that you're constantly stepping in to correct or redo work, this episode is your wake-up call. Jesse unpacks why your team can't read your mind, what real dental leadership communication looks like, and how creating shared language and crystal-clear expectations can transform the way your whole practice operates - from the front desk to the dental chair.In This Episode:00:01 Jesse introduces the biggest lever in your practice, and it's not what most dentists expect to hear00:50 Meet Jason the cat: the surprisingly relatable story that reveals exactly what's going wrong in your team communication right now01:45 What actually happens when your team is listening but still not understanding, and the costly ripple effects throughout your practice02:38 The mindset shift that changes everything02:50 Lessons from the Navy: what a warship's communication standard can teach you about running a high-tempo dental practice04:05 The one question every team member in your practice should be able to answer04:18 Jesse reveals two powerful language concepts from the Practice Max world that sharpen team performance and culture06:57 Listener Q&A: Michael from Melbourne asks how to get off the tools.Links & Resources:Join the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

March 24, 202610 min

541. Trust, Verify & Let Go: The Dental Leadership System That Sets Your Practice Free

Are you the kind of dental leader who hands over the reins - or do you find yourself hovering, checking, and quietly correcting your team's every move? In this episode, Jesse unpacks why micromanagement quietly destroys trust, and what to do instead.Drawing on one of history's most famous negotiating phrases, Ronald Reagan's "trust but verify", Jesse explains how the right systems create the accountability you need without you having to be in the room. The result? A practice that runs confidently without you at the coalface, and a dental leadership style that brings out the best in your team.In this Episode00:43 The Cold War phrase Ronald Reagan made famous, and what it means for how you lead your dental team01:23 What's the difference between micromanaging and verifying?02:03 Why so many practice owners have expectations stuck in their heads, and why that's quietly costing them02:21 The three-part scorecard structure that gives every team member crystal-clear direction03:23 Build it from the top down, execute from the bottom up03:57 Why small improvements compound over time, and why you don't need a revolution, just the right hinge04:20 The tiny daily habits that could be worth dozens of extra patients a month05:07 Q&A with Mark: Should you hire a hygienist, OHT, or another dentist?Links & ResourcesEpisode 540 - The Money In, Money Out TrapJoin the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can’t run without you, it’s time for systems - not more theory. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025