Dental Unscripted | Getting into Ownership and Practice Management Insights

byMichael Dinsio & Paula Quinn | Dental industry coaches & Education leaders

BusinessManagementHealthFitnessMedicine

The dental practice ownership podcast for dentists ready to start, buy, or grow their dental business. Mike Dinsio, MBA and Paula Quinn, BSDH have joined forces. Now combining past shows from "Startup Unscripted" and "Dental Acquisition Unscripted" into one. They bring 30+ years of dental industry experience together with a modern approach to "the business of dentistry." Each episode features unscripted conversations with expert guest content. They share real life experiences, proven strategies, and actionable insights on dental practice ownership. Whether you're new to ownership, planning a dental startup, or navigating a practice acquisition—we've got you covered. CHANNEL TOPICS INCLUDE: ✓ How...

Episodes(40 episodes)

Dental Practice Leadership: 4 Reasons Your Team Is Burned Out and Blaming You

Your dental team's burnout isn't about workload, it's about four leadership failures you can fix starting today. We break it down so that it makes perfect sense.Mike Dinsio and Paula Quinn explain why dental teams burn out. From tolerating unreliable employees out of fear to micromanaging without systems to back it up, this episode names the patterns that destroy morale and gives you the reset framework.- Why keeping one bad employee burns out every good one watching you tolerate it- The "CEO effect", how business education creates micromanagement your team wasn't...

Published: Sep 18, 2026Duration: 43m 54s

2 Minute Drill 🦷 How Owning a Dental Practice Fixed Her Retirement Timeline in 3 Years!

Earning 30% as an associate means zero equity. Practice ownership is the retirement move that changes everything when done the right way of course. Michael Dinsio and Paula Quinn deliver this 2-minute breakdown of what associates are really leaving on the table. Paula shares how buying a practice (even while paying a dentist 30% and carrying a loan) catapulted her retirement from way behind to back-on-track in about three years. Plus: Why dental startups in areas growing 15–20% year over year are hitting $1M in year one. Get the FREE "First Steps of A Startup" from Michael & Paula Here: https://nxlevelconsultants.co...

Published: Sep 11, 2026Duration: 1m 50s

Why Your Associate Paycheck Is the Most Expensive Money You'll Ever Make

You're taking on a lot as an associate, the clinical liability, production quotas, the team drama, the no-shows, AND you're only keeping 30% of production. The other 10–20%... That's going to the owner of the practice. That's also equity you are building for someone else every year you wait to get into ownership.Michael Dinsio and Paula Quinn lay out the five 'Opportunity Costs' that keep dentists stuck as associates when they should be building wealth through a dental practice startup. Paula Quinn shares how three years of ownership took her from "I'm going to be 100 before I can re...

Published: Sep 4, 2026Duration: 42m 10s

A Dental Practice's Profitability Starts Before You Sign a Purchase Agreement

Your broker pulled the reports and your CPA checked the financials but neither of them dig into the practice operationally at the ground level, you know where the reality of how a practice operates is hiding in plain sight. This episode breaks down "the chart audit that actually protects dental buyers." Michael Dinsio, MBA and Paula Quinn, BSDH walk through the due diligence layer, the operational chart audit that reveals whether a dental practice acquisition will support or sink its new owner after closing day.What you'll discover:Why a broker reported 1,500 active patients but the r...

Published: Aug 21, 2026Duration: 44m 47s

2-Minute Drill 🦷 Owning a Dental Practice? You Need These 2 Policies First

Most dentists close on a practice, lock in the business overhead policy, and assume they're fully covered. But that policy pays your staff, your lease, your equipment loans, and after all of that, there's nothing left for your mortgage, car payment, or family expenses. Michael Dinsio and Paula Quinn break down the insurance gap that catches practice owners off guard and the two-policy setup that closes it.What you'll discover: why business overhead insurance leaves your personal income completely exposed, the surprising stat, dentists face nearly the same disability risk as construction workers, how relying on one...

Published: Aug 14, 2026Duration: 1m 50s

The 3 Insurance Policies Every Dental Practice Owner Needs: Disability, Business Overhead & Life Insurance EXPLAINED

Your lender may not require insurance for disability or life anymore, but skipping them could cost you your practice, your estate, and your family's financial security. Michael Dinsio and Paula Quinn sit down with Stephanie Pearson, MD, FACOG (Pearson-Ravitz / Earned Wealth), a former OBGYN whose own career-ending injury turned her into one of the leading insurance advisors for dentists and physicians.LISTEN TO DISCOVER:Why 1 in 4 professionals file a disability claim and dentists carry injury risk comparable to construction workers, the critical difference between personal disability insurance and business overhead insurance and why you need both...

Published: Aug 7, 2026Duration: 38m 20s

2 Minute Drill 🦷 Starting a Dental Practice, The Financial Fear Is Worse Than the Reality

Starting a dental practice sounds expensive, until you see the actual numbers. The real financial trap isn't the startup. It's chasing acquisition cash flow. Mike Dinsio breaks down the thought process behind dental startups and why the fear of a startup is holding most dentists back. He explains how the break-even point with a lean team makes more sense than buying a practice. Sometimes buying quietly turns into a big investment you never expected.EBOOK!https://nxlevelconsultants.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Starting-Up-E-Book.pdf

Published: Jul 29, 2026Duration: 2m 1s

Dental Practice Startups vs Acquisitions: Why Chasing Cash Flow Can Be a Deal w/ the Devil

Think a dental startup means no income? The real financial trap is chasing acquisition cash flow.Mike Dinsio and Paula Quinn break down the real math behind dental startups and why the financial fear is almost always worse than the reality.What you'll discover:clients break even timeline - industry average is 6-8 monthsThe 2-employee, 3-day lean model that controls overhead without sacrificing patient experienceHow $80-100K first-year income + your associate pay matches what most dentists are already earningThe "startup inside an acquisition" trap – Visionary dentists keep falling into this trapWhy startup owners learn ev...

Published: Jul 24, 2026Duration: 32m 57s

Growing a Dental Practice Starts Inside Out | Marketing Episode PART3

Most dental practices blame marketing for low patient flow, but the real problem is an internal one - "How to audit and fix your front office conversion leakage!" Mike Dinsio and Paula Quinn sit down with Guido Tebano, CMO of Market My Market, to explore the #1 thing nobody is paying attention to: What happens inside your practice when a lead calls. This is part 3 of a marketing deep dive revealing why office execution (not just lead generation) determines your practice growth and profitability.What you'll discover in this episode:• Why most dental offices lose 70% of inco...

Published: Jul 16, 2026Duration: 28m 11s

2 Minute Drill 🦷 PPO vs. Fee-for-Service: A Practice Ownership Journey Decision

Should you drop PPO insurance or negotiate harder for fee-for-service rates? The 60% rule tells you when a write-off crosses into insulting territory. But it only makes sense if you can answer these 3 questions:#1. Is your chair full?#2. What is your patient experience like? #3. What is your plan for patients with no 'out-of-network' benefits? Get an informal and informative review of your practice's insurances! Reach out to Paula Quinn and her front office team!https://nxlevelconsultants.com/contact/

Published: Jul 6, 2026Duration: 1m 54s

The Real Cost of Marketing for New Dental Patients in a Practice Startup (Most Get it Wrong)

Most dental startups guess at their marketing budget and end up either starving for patients or wasting money. Guido Tebano of Market My Market breaks down real numbers for SEO, ads, and mailers.In this episode of the Marketing Series, Michael Dinsio and Paula Quinn sit down with Guido Tebano to answer the question every startup dentist asks: how much should you actually spend on marketing, and where should that money go? They cover the real difference between SEO and paid ads, how long a new dental website takes to start ranking, what a qualified implant lead...

Published: Jun 19, 2026Duration: 30m 34s

Should You Drop Dental Insurance and Go FFS? Our Answer Might Surprise You!

In this episode, Michael Dinsio and Paula Quinn sit down with Stafani Sandoval, billing and credentialing expert at Next Level Consultants, to tackle the biggest question in the industry right now: "Should I drop my insurance?" They break down the massive differences between lease networks and direct contracts, when it is time to aggressively negotiate your fees, and why jumping out of network without a strategic plan can absolutely tank your dental practice revenue.What You'll Find Out:Why you should never drop an insurance plan if your schedule isn't completely fullThe 60% rule: How to...

Published: Jun 12, 2026Duration: 32m 57s

What Your Dental Marketing Company Isn't Telling You About Demographics

Most dental practice owners eventually hit a breaking point and ask the exact same question: "Should I drop my insurance?" But jumping straight out of network without a bulletproof strategy can absolutely tank your revenue. Michael Dinsio and Paula Quinn sit down with Stafani Sandoval, Billing and Credentialing Lead at Next Level Consultants, to explain the critical data and preparation needed before you ever send a termination letter. We reveal the exact framework top dental offices use to hold insurance companies accountable, update their UCRs, and successfully navigate the FFS (Fee-For-Service) transition.If you are starting up...

Published: Jun 4, 2026Duration: 28m 44s

Dental Practice Finances: The SBA Express Loan That Funds $350K in 2 Weeks

Dental practice finances just got a serious upgrade. Bert Smith, SVP of Healthcare Lending at Live Oak Bank - the #1 SBA lender in America, reveals the brand-new SBA Express Loan: up to $350,000 in working capital, funded in 2-4 weeks, with no real estate collateral required.Whether you're buying a dental practice, navigating a startup that didn't ramp the way you planned, or carrying high-interest debt that's killing your cash flow, this conversation rewrites everything dentists think they know about SBA lending. Hosts Michael Dinsio and Paula Quinn dig into why SBA is NOT just the backup plan w...

Published: May 27, 2026Duration: 32m 6s

Setting Up a Dental Practice Entity: LLC/PLC, S-Corp & Tax Election Explained!

Choosing the wrong entity structure before buying or starting a dental practice can cost you valuable time. Most dentists don't find out until it's crunch time on a deal or they talk to an attorney about it. Thats why Tyler Jones of Helsell Fetterman joins Mike Dinsio and Paula Quinn to break down everything dental practice owners need to know about entity formation. From the LLC vs. S-Corp confusion to the exact timing for startups and acquisitions. This is the stuff you should know to talk to a CPA or attorney before you start filing online. 3:57 LLC vs...

Published: May 1, 2026Duration: 35m 8s

Does Your Team Thinks You’re Rich! Sharing the Practice's Numbers with Your Team

Dental Practice Management | Dental Practice Growth | Running a Dental PracticeStop hiding the scoreboard and wondering why your team isn't winning. Learn how to transition from a stressed boss to an intentional CEO by leveraging the power of financial transparency with Mike Dinsio and Paula Quinn.EPISODE OVERVIEW In this episode of Dental Unscripted, Mike Dinsio and Paula Quinn tackle one of the most controversial topics in dental practice ownership: Should your team know the numbers? If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the financial weight of the practice alone while your team oper...

Published: Apr 20, 2026Duration: 38m 54s

2 Minute Drill 🦷 First 3 Steps in Getting REAL Dental Practice Growth

3 Steps to Getting REAL Dental Practice GrowthAre you tired of stalled revenue, team turnover, and managing your clinic based purely on a "feeling"? Discover how to transform your clinic into a highly profitable, self-managing business. In this episode of Dental Unscripted, Mike Dinsio and Paula Quinn break down the exact leadership framework required for real dental practice growth. Practice owners can no longer rely on the outdated model of simply clocking in and treating patients; today, you must establish a structured business foundation to succeed.In this episode, we break down the three critical...

Published: Apr 17, 2026Duration: 2m 25s

Dental Practice Management: The 3-Step Leadership Framework

Practice Management | Leadership in Dentistry | Dental Team Optimization Stop team frustration and master accountability with Mike and Paula. Michael Dinsio and Paula Quinn break down the true meaning of leadership in this solo episode of Dental Unscripted, revealing why you can no longer just "hang a shingle" and only focus on clinical care. You'll discover how to transition from simply running a dental practice to leading a successful dental business, and learn an actionable four-step framework to achieve true team accountability.What You'll Find Out: • The critical difference between merely managing and exhibiting true lea...

Published: Apr 6, 2026Duration: 42m 35s

Dental Practice Finances: The 401(k) Strategy Every Owner Needs to Know

Dental practice finances investment hack using 401 (k) – Shelter up to $83K/year in taxes while building real wealth as a dental practice owner.Most dental practice owners treat the sale of their practice as their retirement plan. That's a costly mistake. Caitlin Bryan, Wealth Management Lead at Cain Watters & Associates, breaks down how a well-structured 401(k) is the single most powerful dental financial planning tool available and how nine out of ten times, it pays for itself entirely through tax savings.From the 3% Safe Harbor rule to the backdoor Roth IRA strategy, Caitlin gives dental entrepreneurs a...

Published: Mar 23, 2026Duration: 41m 55s

Why 80% of Dental Marketing Fails & How to Avoid Spending More on Google Ads Than Necessary

Dental Marketing | Practice Management | Practice Ownership JourneyStop wasting money on dental marketing that doesn't convert. Cisco Adler from Digital Rain reveals the silent killer of your Google Ad budget and how to turn it around. In this interview, Mike Dinsio and Paula Quinn sit down with Cisco Adler, owner of Digital Rain, to discuss the business of dentistry and high-performance dental marketing strategies. Cisco reveals why 80% of dental marketing fails and shares an actionable framework for dental practice's to follow.What You’ll Find Out in this Episode:Why sending ad...

Published: Mar 10, 2026Duration: 49m 57s