TTS- 148 Handpiece Repair w/Dicky Ball
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Dicky Ball, co-founder of Summit Handpiece Express, for a refreshingly real conversation about dentistryâs most overlooked âtoolââand why systems, maintenance, and team communication matter more than most practices realize. What starts as a discussion about dental handpiece repair quickly evolves into a deeper conversation about SOPs, handoff and hand-up communication, team accountability, and how small breakdowns behind the scenes can quietly destroy efficiency, profitability, and patient experience. Dicky...
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TTS 147 â NBA to M&A: Building, Failing, Scaling, and Selling with Elijah Desmond
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with entrepreneur, hygienist-turned-broker, and co-CEO of Dental Pitch Brokerage, Elijah Desmond, for a candid conversation about business, failure, partnerships, and preparing dental practicesâespecially implant and full-arch practicesâfor successful exits. From Elijahâs early days in dentistry to building (and failing) multiple businesses, this episode explores the real lessons behind entrepreneurship and what it actually takes to scale with intention. Elijah also shares practical insights into todayâs M&A...
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TTS- 146 T.E.A.M. w/Martin Mendelson
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher welcomes back Dr. Martin Mendelson for a powerful second conversationâone that dives deep into mindset, leadership, and the thoughts that quietly shape our lives and practices. Dr. Mendelson, a dentist-turned-coach and author of One Move Makes All the Difference, breaks down why happiness leads to success (not the other way around), how the space between stimulus and response determines our outcomes, and why teams thrive when psychological safety and accountability coexist. This episode blends neuroscience, emotional intelligence,...
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145 All Comes Down to Me w/Dr. Farokh Jiveh
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this powerful episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with cosmetic dentist and educator Dr. Farokh Jiveh for a deeply honest conversation about personal transformation, leadership, and what truly drives patient connection and case acceptance. Dr. J shares his journey from outward success and inner burnout to alignment, clarity, and purposeâand how that shift changed everything from how he leads his team to how patients experience care. This episode goes far beyond techniques and procedures. Itâs about presence, energy, listening, and why dentistry is ultimately...
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TTS-144 Human Capital â w/ Gabriel Hofmann
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Gabriel Hofmann, CEO of ConsultHaus and longtime leader in the dental and health services industries, for a deep conversation on human capital, culture, and the mindset required to build organizations that truly last. Gabriel brings more than 20 years of experience leading high-performance teams, and in this episode, he breaks down why peopleânot products, not processesâare the true engine of growth. From hiring and retention to leadership habits and organizational alignment, Gabriel shares the real frameworks he...
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TTS- 143 Culture Strategist Leah Roling
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Leah Roling, culture strategist, leadership coach, and founder of The Habit Hackers, for a conversation that goes deep into the mindset, clarity, and intentional habits that shape high-performing teams. They unpack the real drivers of cultureâbeyond slogans, beyond surface-level motivationâand explore how self-leadership, emotional awareness, and aligned decision-making create workplaces where people can thrive. Leah brings a grounded, practical perspective on what it takes to lead well in a fast-paced,...
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Episode: TTS-142 Menâs Apparel to Master GTM w/ Ian Miller
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg sits down with Ian Millerâentrepreneur, apparel expert, and GTM operatorâto explore the unexpected overlap between menâs fashion and building a market strategy that actually works. What starts as a conversation about fit, fabric, and confidence quickly shifts into a masterclass on positioning, clarity, and the discipline behind a clean go-to-market motion. They open with a story about Ianâs early days in apparelâlearning the difference between style and identityâand move into a candid discussion on momentum, leadership, and why most...
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Episode: TTS-141 Dentistry from Diapers â Addison Freeman
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Addison Freeman, founder of Incisive. We explore how Inicisive helps dental practices modernize in a way that truly improves workflows, team efficiency, and patient outcomes. đ§ Listen to TTS-141 Dentistry from Diapers â Addison Freeman to hear how purpose, mentorship, and early engagement can shape a stronger future for the dental profession. Connect with Addison: | Website: .com | LinkedIn: Addison Freeman #ToothSleuth #FutureOfDentistry #DentalMentorship #CareerPathways #DentalCommunity...
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Episode: TTS-140 Hygiene Philosophy â Janet Hagerman
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Janet Hagermanâhygienist, speaker, consultant, and authorâto explore the philosophy, communication frameworks, and leadership mindset that elevate the hygiene experience for both patients and dental teams. Janet shares her decades of experience helping practices strengthen their hygiene departments, enhance case acceptance through trust-driven communication, and build a patient experience grounded in clarity, empathy, and education. Inside this episode: The core principles behind a strong hygiene philosophy ...
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Episode: TTS-139 Level Up w/ Thomas Passalacqua
The Tooth Sleuth Podcast
In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Thomas Passalacquaâspeaker, consultant, and dental operations expertâto talk about what it truly takes to level up in leadership, systems, and patient experience inside the modern dental practice. Thomas shares the lessons heâs learned working with dental teams across the country, breaking down why clarity, alignment, and accountability are non-negotiables for practices that want to grow with intention. His insights are grounded, practical, and built for teams ready to elevate how they serve. Inside this...
info_outlineđď¸ Tooth Sleuth Podcast â Episode 120
Title: Donât Poo Poo the Woo Woo: What Burnout, Energy & Career Freedom Really Look Like
Guest: Dr. Laura Brenner, Career Coach | Founder of Dentist Side Gigs | Ex-Dentist | Woo Woo Whisperer
đ Episode Snapshot
Feeling stuck in your dental career? Tired of the burnout buzzword, but know somethingâs off?
Dr. Laura Brenner is backâyes, back!âto join Greg for an unfiltered, deeply personal conversation about what it really means to walk away from a career that doesnât serve you anymore.
From closet career shame to spiritual breakthroughs, this episode is a permission slip to redefine successâand actually enjoy your life again.
Whether youâre a DSO leader, private practice doc, associate, or just a quiet rebel in scrubs, this oneâs for you.
đŻ What Youâll Learn
đ Why âburnoutâ is often just misalignment (and what to do instead)
đŹ The silent shame cycle that keeps dental professionals stuck
đŹ A science-based bridge into âwoo wooâ leadership and mindset
đŞ The danger of outsourcing your decisions (and how to rebuild internal trust)
đ How your energyânot your strategyâsets the tone for your team and patients
đ Why you need to break the old rules to build a better life (and practice)
đŁ Mic Drop Moments
âDonât poo poo the woo woo.â
âBurnout isnât always exhaustionâitâs the symptom of ignoring your own truth.â
âWeâre trained to fix teethânot ourselves. That needs to change.â
âLeadership doesnât start with systems. It starts with you.â
đ Resources & References
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đŹ Join the Dentist Side Gigs Facebook community
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đ Connect with Laura at: lullabiescareercoaching.com
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đ Read her viral blog: 10 Reasons Your Dentist Hates You Too
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đ§ Explore energy leadership with Lauraâs coaching framework
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𧥠Inspired by Brene Brown, Einstein, and one babyâs breath at a time
đ§ Where to Listen
đ˛ Available on all platforms:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google | YouTube | Amazon
đ Listen to Episode 120 now: [Insert Direct Link]
đŁď¸ Stay Connected
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Host: Greg Essenmacher
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IG: @GregEssenmacher
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Podcast: Tooth Sleuth on YouTube