S09 E06: Beyond dentistry: four pillars, better systems and the AI-powered practice manager
Release Date: 07/27/2026
S09 E06: Beyond dentistry: four pillars, better systems and the AI-powered practice manager
Two Reds are Better than One
In this episode of the Two Reds Podcast, Chris Barrow and Ashley Latter welcome back Julia Riese, Director of Marketing and Operations at Coastal Dental Care in Australia, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, systems, practice growth and the practical use of AI in dental business management. The first part of the conversation focuses on Julia’s book, Beyond Dentistry: Mastering the Four Pillars to Succeed with Your Dental Practice. Remarkably, Julia wrote the first draft in just 30 days while continuing to work full time, committing to a disciplined daily writing target and...
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S09 E05: Filling financial gaps: The three big mistakes your accountant might be making that are costing you thousands of pounds
Two Reds are Better than One
Jodie Loveday is an accountant with over 38 years of experience. She now works with Hesketh Consultancy, where her eye for detail has helped uncover significant accounting errors in 100% of new dental clients. These errors can often cost practices tens of thousands of pounds and lead to poor business decisions. In this stimulating interview, Ashley and Chris speak to Jodie about three common mistakes she frequently discovers when taking on new dental clients. The three key areas discussed are: 1. Income recognition Jodie explains how income is posted to the accounts and why recording income in...
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S09 E04: The Reality of Leadership: Resilience, Belief and Better Conversations
Two Reds are Better than One
In this episode of the Two Reds podcast, Chris Barrow and Ashley Latter park the polished version of business life and talk about the real world instead. Ashley joins the conversation after a brutal few days, with serious water damage at his training centre, a lost weekend of clearing up, and another demanding week of travel and delivery ahead. It is an honest reminder that leadership often means carrying on when you are tired, frustrated and running on reserve. Ashley shares his main lesson from Australia. The clinicians who use digital scanners most consistently tend to do the most...
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S09 E03: Paul Abrahams on ownership, innovation, and knowing when to let go
Two Reds are Better than One
In this episode of the Two Reds podcast, Chris Barrow is joined by Dr Paul Abrahams of Smile More Dental Care in London for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about career longevity, practice ownership, innovation and exit strategy. With Ashley Latter away in Australia, Chris and Paul take the opportunity to explore Paul’s remarkable journey from an uncertain start in the early 1980s, through qualification at Guy’s in 1989, to building and eventually selling a highly respected two-surgery private practice in St John’s Wood. Paul reflects on the early influence of retail...
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S09 E02: From One Practice to Seventeen: The Coastal Dental Growth Model
Two Reds are Better than One
In the latest edition of Two Reds are Better than One, we woke up super early, to interview Franck Page, the owner of Coastal Dental Care in Australia's Gold Coast, and Julia Riese, the Group Director of Marketing & Operations. Franck, who graduated in 1993, quickly became a part owner of a dental practice within a year. His passion for practice ownership has led him to expand his group to 17 offices, a wholesale dental business, two labs, 83 clinicians, and 300 staff members. His innovative business model, which he discusses in detail, involves part ownership of practices with other...
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S09 E01: The Howard Farran Experience
Two Reds are Better than One
In today's episode of our podcast, hosts Ashley and Chris had the distinct honour of interviewing the esteemed Dr. Howard Farran. Dr. Farran, DDS, MBA, is the visionary founder and owner of and Dentaltown magazine. With over three decades of experience practicing dentistry at Today’s Dental in the Phoenix metropolitan area, he is a luminary in the field. Notably, in 2017, Incisal Edge magazine recognized him as one of the 32 most influential figures in dentistry. Since 1990, Dr. Farran has been an international lecturer, renowned for his candid, humorous, and practical insights...
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S08 E12: Create your own economy in 2026: why the “used to” practices will struggle, and what to do instead
Two Reds are Better than One
In this end-of-year episode of Two Reds Are Better Than One, I’m joined by Ashley, speaking from a hotel in Vietnam with 10 days of rest behind him and a welcome pause before Christmas. We keep it informal, unscripted, and focused on what practice owners and teams need to be thinking about as 2026 approaches. We touch first on the news cycle, including the government’s announcement of a new NHS dental contract due to land in April, with the important caveat that at the time of recording there was no meaningful detail, so judgement needs to wait for the small print. The wider point is...
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S08 E11: From Burnout to Balance – Dr Casper Bots on Rediscovering Joy in Dentistry
Two Reds are Better than One
In this episode of the Two Reds podcast, Chris Barrow and Ashley Latter are joined by Dutch dentist, entrepreneur, and educator Dr Casper Bots for a wide-ranging and inspiring conversation that bridges clinical practice, professional development, and personal wellbeing. Casper splits his time between the Netherlands and Liverpool, where he practises at Dr Rez Dental. With a deep understanding of the structural differences between UK and Dutch dentistry — from fixed fees to delegated clinical workflows — Casper brings a refreshing international perspective to the table. But...
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S08 E10: White Space, Wealth & Winning Mindsets: Surviving the Economic Squeeze
Two Reds are Better than One
In this month’s episode of The Two Reds are Better than One Podcast, we’re tackling what’s on everyone’s mind right now — the economy. With the UK budget announcement just around the corner and practice owners already seeing more white space in their diaries, it’s clear things are tightening up out there. Patients are thinking twice, delaying treatment, and it’s becoming harder to keep things moving at the same pace as before. But it’s not all doom and gloom. In this episode, we share some practical strategies to help you not just survive, but thrive through the months...
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S08 E09: Surviving to Thriving - How to prosper in a tough economy
Two Reds are Better than One
In this episode of "Two Reds are Better than One" podcast, Chris and Ashley explore a variety of customer service experiences from their travels, highlighting both excellent and poor examples. These stories offer valuable lessons for dentists and practice owners. The insights shared in this episode are so impactful that everyone in the practice should listen. In this episode, you will discover: Chris's Experience at Bupa: Chris recounts his experience when attending a health screening at Bupa, where the response was less than satisfactory. This underscores the critical role of...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Two Reds Podcast, Chris Barrow and Ashley Latter welcome back Julia Riese, Director of Marketing and Operations at Coastal Dental Care in Australia, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, systems, practice growth and the practical use of AI in dental business management.
The first part of the conversation focuses on Julia’s book, Beyond Dentistry: Mastering the Four Pillars to Succeed with Your Dental Practice. Remarkably, Julia wrote the first draft in just 30 days while continuing to work full time, committing to a disciplined daily writing target and completing around 80,000 words.
The book is built around four pillars that Julia believes determine the long-term success of a dental practice:
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Team, finding, developing and retaining the right people.
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Marketing, generating a consistent flow of suitable patients.
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Systems and processes, documenting how the business operates so that knowledge does not remain trapped inside one person’s head.
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Planning and analysis, understanding the numbers, reviewing performance and knowing when to adjust course.
The discussion explores why team remains the foundation of everything else. Julia explains how one high-performing but behaviourally disruptive individual can quietly damage morale and performance across the wider practice. She also shares the importance of structured performance improvement plans, regular check-ins and clear expectations.
Chris and Ashley then discuss one of the most common barriers to delegation, the belief that it is quicker to do the job personally than to teach somebody else. Chris shares a holiday story about training his daughter’s partner to drive a powerboat, demonstrating that a short investment in teaching can create freedom, confidence and capability for everyone involved.
The second half of the episode introduces Levara, Julia’s new AI course for dental practice managers and owners.
The 12-session programme is designed to help practices build their own bespoke AI management system using platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Participants will create practical tools for recruitment, job descriptions, onboarding, one-to-one meeting records, performance tracking and standard operating procedures.
A central feature is the development of a searchable practice knowledge base. Instead of important information living only in the head of the owner or long-serving manager, the team can ask the practice’s AI assistant how to complete a task and receive the agreed process immediately.
The potential benefits are significant, more consistent management, faster onboarding, improved delegation, less administrative pressure and a business that is less dependent on the owner.
Julia also explains why well-documented systems increase the value of a dental practice. A business that can operate successfully without its principal is more attractive, more scalable and easier to sell.
The episode closes with reflections on discipline, personal wellbeing and Julia’s formidable daily fitness routine, beginning with 4.00am training sessions and ending with an accepted CrossFit challenge for Chris and Ashley when Julia next visits the UK.
The conversation is practical, thoughtful and highly relevant for any dental owner or manager looking to build a better-run business, make greater use of AI and create more time for patients, leadership and life.