From Early CEREC Adoptor to Educator to Group Practice Innovator at Imagen Dental Partners: Dr. Sameer Puri’s Journey and Impact on the Profession

Join Dr. Mustafa Shah-Khan and co-hosts Dr. Murtuza Shah-Khan and Dr. Richard Offutt as they discuss the evolution of dental education, practice management, and group dentistry with Dr. Sameer Puri. From his pioneering work with CEREC technology to his current role revolutionizing the DSO model at Imagine Dental Partners, Dr. Puri shares insights on building dental communities, achieving work-life balance, and the future of group practice.

👤 Guest Expert Profile

Dr. Sameer Puri brings extensive expertise as:

• Chief Clinical Officer at Imagine Dental Partners

• Founder of CDOCS, the premier CEREC educational program

• Former Vice President of Education at SPEAR Education

• Graduate of USC School of Dentistry

• AEGD graduate from University of Tennessee

⏱️ Episode Navigation

• 00:00 - Introduction and background

• 02:11 - Early career and CEREC journey

• 05:32 - Transition from practice to education

• 12:27 - Building dental communities

• 16:33 - Vision for Imagine Dental Partners

• 19:35 - Practice growth and partnerships

• 23:38 - MBA pursuit and continuing education

• 35:06 - Key takeaways and career lessons

💡 Core Topics & Insights

Educational Leadership Journey

• Evolution from clinical practice to CEREC education

• Building CDOCS from ground up to 250+ annual workshops

• Balancing practice, teaching, and family life

• Importance of delegation and team development

Building Dental Communities

• Creating engaging educational content

• Importance of consistent engagement

• Leadership commitment to community growth

• Value of authentic passion in leadership

Imagine Dental Partners Model

• No private equity funding approach

• Focus on long-term practice growth

• Partner-owned structure

• Emphasis on clinical autonomy

• Average 9-10% practice growth

🎯 Key Success Principles

Practice Growth Strategies

• Invest in comprehensive support infrastructure

• Focus on revenue cycle optimization

• Maintain high collection rates (99%)

• Support clinical autonomy while providing resources

Leadership Philosophy

• Surround yourself with smarter people

• Plan five years ahead

• Take calculated risks

• Maintain work-life balance

🤝 Partnership Criteria

Ideal Practice Partners

• Minimum five-year commitment horizon

• Engagement in practice leadership

• Interest in clinical excellence

• Cultural alignment with organization

Support Structure

• 120+ support staff for practices

• Centralized administrative functions

• Investment in future growth

• Focus on practice optimization

📈 Future Vision

• Organic growth of 20-30 practices annually

• Focus on sustainable, long-term development

• Commitment to clinical excellence

• Investment in partner education and growth

🎓 Educational Philosophy

"Tiger Woods has a swing coach. Greatest golfer in the history of existence has a swing coach. You can always do better. No matter how good you are, you can always do better."

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Topics: dental education, CEREC technology, DSO model, practice management, dental community building, clinical excellence, practice growth, dental partnerships, continuing education, dental leadership